Gamble of love
by cherrysunset
Summary: 6th year at Hogwarts is exceptionally boring for Ginny who doesn't notice the significant part of Hogwart's male population drooling over her. Draco understands their attraction, but refuses to become one of them. That is until certain teachers make a bet
1. Admiration

Ginny Weasley was one of the first students to hop off the Hogwart's Express and onto the platform. The warm air caressed her face, and she grinned and waved at Hagrid, who was shepherding the first years towards the castle. It seemed like nothing had changed, when actually so much had taken place.  
  
In the beginning of her fifth year, Voldemort had finally gained enough power to attack the castle, causing mass mayhem and confusion everywhere. Dumbledore had been a great pillar of strength, channeling all his power into protecting the students, while Snape and McGonagall had also gone to great lengths to defend Hogwarts.  
  
And Harry Potter, her upper lip curled slightly as she thought of Harry. Of course, he had done exactly what was expected of him, and defeated Voldemort completely with Ron and Hermione by his side. Ginny had been in charge of the first aid, and she remembered one of the times when Harry came into the room at midnight, his arm bleeding profusely.  
  
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" How does it look Harry?" she whispered, careful not to awake the other patients as she bandaged his arm.  
  
" Apparently Pettigrew is being forced to pay his wizard's debt, and we've received a tremendous amount of help from someone, so it looks like we might have a chance after all." He looked up at her as he said this, smiling slightly and then wincing as pressed her wand to his cut.  
  
" Harry, I'm so glad. Look after Ron alright? There, all better, can you move it properly?"  
  
Ginny was overjoyed, there was a chance they were going to be safe! She quickly mended Harry's arm and helped him move it around.  
  
" Ron is looking after me Ginny! And as for him, well lets just say Hermione is not letting him out of her sight! He'll be in here to see you soon," Harry laughed.  
  
" Goodbye Harry, take care of yourself," she smiled.  
  
" I will," he whispered, and then suddenly leaned in and gently brushed his lips against her cheek.  
  
He then ran out of the room, leaving Ginny touching her cheek and gasping with the realization that had suddenly hit her. She didn't love Harry Potter anymore.  
  
**************************************************************************** *****  
  
" What do you mean you don't love Harry Potter anymore?" She was walking with Colin now, and was practically running to keep pace with his long strides.  
  
" Colin, I mean what I mean. I don't love Harry Potter anymore!" she huffed, as she finally caught up with him.  
  
" Why though Ginny? Was a he a total prat? Or did he ignore you  
completely? Oh I know! You caught him snogging Hermione!" Ginny grimaced  
and then burst into a shout of laughter, slapping him on the back of the  
head.  
  
" You great oaf! None of those really. I mean, we both know Harry well  
enough to realize that he doesn't know how to be a total prat! And you  
also know that he's never ignored me. Avoided me, yes, but never ignored  
me. As for Hermione.." she burst into giggles.  
  
" I think she and Ron have something going on."  
  
" Well obviously Gin, I mean all that fighting can only mean one thing.  
Suppressed attraction for each other, they had great chemistry! Did you  
see the sparks fly between them when they fought over Pig's diet?"  
  
Ginny gaped incredulously at Colin.  
  
" What are you on about? Do you really mean to say that if a boy  
and girl fight madly, they're actually hiding feelings for each  
other?"  
  
" That's exactly what I mean!" Colin said triumphantly, causing his friend to go into another paroxysm of laughter.  
  
" Well I suppose that means that you are madly in love with Moaning Myrtle then!" Ginny grinned, and then ran off squealing when Colin attempted to hex her.  
  
Unknown to the two sixth years, their whole exchange had been watched jealously by the male population of Hogwarts. Ginny Weasley had tended to more than a few of them during the war, and during treatment, they had the opportunity to observe the incredible natural beauty that the youngest redhead possessed. She also had won over many with her sweet and humorous personality.  
  
As Ernie Macmillan put it  
  
" She just smiled at me and handed me a toffee, and I was gone."  
  
Many sympathized with this sentiment but all acknowledged the fact that they had no future with Ginny.  
  
" When Harry bloody Potter decides to like her, what chance do we  
have? Merlin, everyone knows that she's been mad on him for years!"  
  
" Besides, he's the only bloke who can go out with her without being  
clobbered by her brother. "  
  
" Too right. But what about that Colin fellow?"  
  
This particular enquiry was met with gales of laughter.  
  
" Colin Creevey? You really mean to say you didn't know?"  
  
" Didn't know what?"  
  
" That he...well, that he had his wand pointed in another direction!"  
  
" Blimey."  
  
Most of what they thought was true. Colin did have "other preferences" but he was Ginny's best friend and closest confidante. Harry Potter did indeed like Ginny, but they were all mistaken on one thing. The feelings weren't reciprocated. Only one person knew of this, and he had been observing the littlest weasel's fan club with an amused smirk.  
  
Draco Malfoy drew his scarf a little tighter around him, and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He too had noticed how Ginny Weasley had blossomed into the beauty she was now, but he would rather die than let her know it.  
  
" So anyway, you never got around to telling me why it is you don' t love him anymore!"  
Colin said to her, as they walked down the halls to dinner.  
  
" Well I don't know actually. All I knew was that if I had liked him, then that kiss would have made me faint on the spot."  
  
" But you didn't."  
  
" No, I didn't. That's the point Colin! I didn't feel ANYTHING, which is  
when I realized that I didn't like him anymore."  
  
" I see, thank goodness. You haven't changed your taste in men though have you?"  
  
Ginny turned to hide a smile. She and Colin had become friends because they both (to quote him) drooled over Harry together. They had similar taste in guys and would not hesitate to inform the other of a "likely prospect."  
  
" No Colin. I don't like him, but Merlin knows, he's still as gorgeous as ever."  
  
" And sexy."  
  
" But of course, who could forget sexy!"  
  
"Weasley and Creevey, although I'm flattered that you discuss me, can  
you please do it in your common room where others don't have to  
hear?"  
  
Ginny turned around glaring, secure in the knowledge that this intruder could be only one person. Draco Malfoy. When she did this however, she realized that she might as well have been talking about him, since he had changed...a lot.  
  
His hair had grown slightly and now fell over his forehead, while he seemed to have acquired several muscles overnight! He now towered over her, smirking as usual.  
  
" My god, I cannot believe I'm thinking that the SMIRK is attractive!" Ginny thought to herself.  
  
" You wish Malfoy. Colin and I have better people to discuss. Now do you mind allowing us forward?  
I don't want to waste my time arguing with you on pointless causes."  
  
Draco put a hand to his heart, pretending to look miffed, while inside he was thoroughly enjoying himself.  
  
" Why Viriginia, you don't think I'm sexy?"  
  
" No"  
  
" Not even good looking?"  
  
" N-no"  
  
" Pity, although I wouldn't say you were either."  
  
" I'm not asking you to Malfoy."  
  
She was dragged off at this point by Colin, rolling his eyes, as he pulled her to the Great Hall.  
  
Draco laughed and walked off. Marveling at how he could deceive the Weasel so well. It had taken him all his effort to lie to her about his thoughts on her appearance. Ginny Weasley was by far the most attractive girl he had ever seen.  
  
" It was worth the effort though."  
  
He reminded himself, smiling faintly when he remembered how her eyes shone and cheeks flushed when she lost her temper. 


	2. Arguments

DISCLAIMER: OH MY GOD! I completely forgot this! I'm tremendously utterly apologetically SORRY! Anyhow, none of these characters are mine ( NO draco, NO harry NO blaise..sniff..) but yes. Not mine, they all belong to J.K rowling. The plot is mine however.  
  
AN: Wow, I'm so glad I got more than one review! Seriously, thanks a lot to Freak like me, Totally Sarcastic Sprite and Raye Sinic for the encouragement. Hope this chapter gets more:D  
  
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Ginny stomped to the Great Hall, with Colin holding on to her arm.  
  
" You can let go now Colin"  
  
" Are you sure? I'm worried that your going to sail up and explode in rage. It's a redhead thing you know."  
  
" Colin, I'm fine, that stupid git will NOT get on my nerves!"  
  
" If you say so. I wonder, could this be proof of what I was telling you before?"  
  
" What proof? No, you can't mean that..that..MALFOY and I have suppressed attraction for each other!"  
  
Colin nodded.  
  
Ginny meanwhile turned scarlet in her eagerness to show him how mistaken he was, and ran to the side of the hall, pretending to make retching noises. It was during this time that Draco passed by her and poked her side, causing her to jump up in the air (mid retch) and squeal.  
  
" Not very attractive Virginia, I wouldn't say that throwing up would be the best way to hook a man."  
  
" Funny Malfoy, I always did think that you weren't quite on the  
ahem..straight road..if you get what I mean. Now you're confirming it.  
So tell me, what IS the best way to hook a man?" She looked up at him,  
batting her eyelashes innocently.  
  
Draco glared, infuriated that she had gotten the last word. He opened his mouth to say something when Colin smoothly cut him off by saying  
  
" Spare it Malfoy. If Ginny needs advise about men, I'm always there. Come now, Ginnykins."  
  
" I told you not to call me that," she muttered through clenched teeth as  
they continued their progress down the hall.  
  
" But Ginny..don't you see? The way he constantly picks on you and you  
respond, means that you have feelings for each other! I've never seen  
this "fire" with anyone else!"  
  
" Look Colin, I have no time for your ramblings. Oh my god! Wait, did Malfoy just call me Viriginia?"  
  
Colin didn't say anything, he just smiled complacently.  
  
" How the hell does Malfoy know what my name is? Its DRACO malfoy for  
Merlin's sake, he's not supposed to care about the Christian names of a  
freckled redhead!"  
  
" There Gin, now you've said his name, so the two of you are even."  
  
Colin let her continue her rant until they got to the Great Hall where Harry had a seat all prepared for Ginny. She hesitated in taking it however, and looked up at Colin, who merely winked and sat down by Seamus, having previous made a mental note that war had changed him greatly. For the better of course.  
  
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As the first few days went by, Draco became more and more sure that Ginny did not feel the same way for Potter as he felt for her. He noticed that the latter was eager to sit next to her during meals, and constantly tried to involve her in conversation. Harry's efforts were fruitless however because now the redhead had Colin, and her fan club of course.  
  
He was surprised that Weasley didn't notice all this, but he was probably much too involved making sheep's eyes at Granger to see that his sister was swamped with admirers. Draco chuckled when he remembered a scene he had witnessed the previous day.  
  
" So Ginny, how does my arm look?"  
  
" What about your arm Harry? Colin! Stop that! Those mashed potatoes are mine!"  
  
" Oh Ginny let me get you some!"  
  
" Thank you so much Dean!"  
  
" So about my arm Gi-"  
  
" Oy Harry! Do you think Arithmancy is a valid magical subject?"  
  
"Don't answer him Harry! He undermines its value. Look Ron, why do you  
always have to get someone else's support in an argument? Can't you just  
face me alone?"  
  
" But I did face you alone. Last night in the common room remember?"  
  
Everyone at the Gryffindor table took a moment to gape at them, causing Hermoine to busy herself in her food while turning different shades of red. Much to Draco's amusement, Harry still made a valiant effort to carry on his conversation with Ginny.  
  
" Well Ginny, my arm that got hurt during the war remember? You did such  
an excellent job of mending it?"  
  
" Oh yes! I remember now Harry, that was the night when..when.." Ginny  
stopped at this point, looking slightly worried.  
  
" When I kissed you?"  
  
" On the cheek." Colin cut in at this point; smiling at Ginny who  
inwardly breathed a sigh of relief while Harry frowned.  
  
Draco then decided to make his presence known.  
  
" Potter, I don't blame you for your actions, but if you accept him  
Weasel, you couldn't have stooped any lower!"  
  
He then walked off, mentally slapping himself when he realized what he had just admitted.  
  
Harry was fuming while Ginny buried her head in her hands. Colin sympathetically patted her hair while smiling at Seamus above her.  
  
" I've come to the conclusion that Draco Malfoy is one confused person.  
One moment he says that I'm hideous and the next he's telling Harry  
otherwise! What's next? He comes up to Hermione and tells her that Ron  
makes a good catch?"  
  
" Well, I don't know Ginny..."  
  
" Oh. God. Colin please tell me you have not been eyeing my brother!"  
  
" Shhh! Not quite so loud please! Didn't you see Seamus walk by? Anyway,  
I wasn't eyeing your brother, I'm just admitting that he's quite  
attractive."  
  
" Ok, I do not want to think of Ron that way, thank you. Back to Malfoy  
however. If he goes on the way he does, I think I'll reserve him a room  
in St Mungo's. Just in case you know."  
  
The next few weeks passed by in a boring tedium and Ginny felt that life and school just couldn't get any more boring. She also thought that it was rather curious how so many volunteered to walk her to class, and how Harry was almost always around her.  
  
"Ron must have bribed them," she shrugged to herself.  
  
The only things she looked forward to (she would only acknowledge this to herself and her journal) were her regular fights with Malfoy They had transcended to a routine. The two of them would choose some point in the day to confront each other in the hall, and a war of words would be exchanged until their next class, adding some excitement into her life. She didn't think she felt anything for him however, although Colin seemed to assume otherwise.  
  
AN: well that's that for this chapter. The next one will be about how exactly the "bet" comes about..so it features mainly the teachers, however I WILL try and squeeze some D/G in anyhow. Thx mucho..and PLS PLS continue reviewing! 


	3. Flobberworm Fests and other Fights

DISCLAIMER: Not mine  
  
AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, like Jennysalvania and Angelic Hope. Here's the third chapter..hope it satisfies! ************************************************************************  
  
The faculty of Hogwarts shared their student's emotions. After working tremendously hard during the war, and living each day in fear, they were unaccustomed to this sudden change of scenario.  
  
There were some who actually wished that the war was still ongoing, as reverting back to normal life seemed to be very tedious. This was finally acknowledged a month into the school year, when Professor Mcgonagall ran breathlessly into the faculty room.  
  
" What is it Minerva?" asked Madam Pince, who was busily polishing her  
broom (which in truth did not need any more polishing).  
  
" Has something happened at last?" This query was from Lupin, the newly appointed DADA teacher. After making himself a hero during the war, Lupin had redeemed himself in the eyes of many.  
  
" Yes, but I doubt that it will be something you want," announced a dry  
voice, and Severus Snape stepped out from behind Professor Mcgonagall.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Professor Mcgonagall had recovered her breath by this time and shuddered.  
  
" Hagrid... has decided to continue with his idea."  
  
" What idea?" said Lupin nervously, observing the sudden looks of  
dismay beginning to appear on other's faces.  
  
" No! No, it cannot be! You don't mean the annual Flobberworm Fest do  
you?" whispered Professor Sprout in a hushed voice.  
  
"Precisely." Snape replied, sounding glummer than ever.  
  
A collective groan of despair was heard resounding all over the room. Madam Pince dropped her broom and began massaging her temples, while everyone else began thinking of excuses to get out of it.  
  
" If this event is half as bad as it sounds, we're doomed." Said Lupin.  
  
" What's more, he wants the entire school to attend! We can't just send  
the students, the teachers (Mcgonagall blanched when she imparted this  
information) are required to volunteer!"  
  
" Required? Why required?"  
  
" Dumbledore insists upon it. He claims that he has noticed our gloomy  
state of teaching, and thinks that this will liven things up." Snape  
said, venomously.  
  
" This has only made it worse! Whatever was Albus thinking? Isn't there  
some excuse one can make to get out of it?" Flitwick queried anxiously.  
  
" My dear Professor, Hagrid will be very hurt indeed if he hears about  
how averse you are to this important event."  
  
This voice was a deep booming one that caused most of the teachers to jump in shock. Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, looking aged, but his eyes hadn't lost their twinkle.  
  
" There is however, one way you can avoid this."  
  
" What is it?" chorused all the teachers.  
  
" Perhaps it has come to your attention that the students seem to be  
undergoing the same depression that you are. I believe that some fun and  
games are in order."  
  
" You, You, expect us to organize fun and games for the students?" Snape suddenly sounded alarmed.  
  
" No, fun and games amongst yourselves, that will brighten up the lives of the students."  
  
" Albus, what is it you want us to do?" Mcgonagall asked warily.  
  
" Well, disagreements between students are worse than ever. Why don't you  
do something to lessen this?"  
  
" Playing referee?" asked Lupin.  
  
" Hardly Remus. Tell me Professors, wouldn't some romance soon put an end to all the quarreling?"  
  
" I'd rather attend the Flobberworm Fest!" snarled Snape.  
  
" Severus, I was not referring to romance between the teachers, that is  
entirely up to you. My suggestion was that perhaps we could further some  
romantic activity between the various houses."  
  
" I think having a romance with Snape would be easier," muttered Madam Sprout to Madam Pince.  
  
Unfortunately this comment was heard and everyone stifled their sniggers while Snape shot glares at the two teachers.  
  
" Three teachers do not have to attend the Flobberworm fest. Now, who  
thinks that they should be one of them?" asked Dumbledore, his lips  
twitching slightly.  
  
The entire staff shot up and each teacher began giving reasons for why they should be one of the people that didn't attend. Professor Snape was in the middle of explaining a complicated potion that involved snail liver, when Dumbledore cut him off.  
  
" Why don't we make this a competition? We will come up with some  
unlikely couples, and there will be teams of teachers assigned to bring  
them together. We will then hold a ball prior to the Flobberworm Fest,  
and the team that manages to get a couple to go together, need not  
attend the fest."  
  
" I'll bribe them with grades", was the first thought on each teacher's  
mind, until Dumbledore made one last announcement.  
  
" The two people have to go willingly, and you are not allowed to tell  
them of your bet. As a team, you are only allowed to further relations  
between the students. No bribery and NO love potions!"  
  
With this, Dumbledore swept out of the room, leaving one very bewildered set of teachers in his wake.  
  
" Who died and made him Lockhart?" hissed Snape, as he paced across the room.  
  
" Severus, you either choose to participate or go to the Fest. I am  
going to charm this goblet to randomly put the teachers into teams. Once  
your name is in, you cannot withdraw. Please make your decision now."  
Said Flitwick.  
  
Worry and confusion spread across Snape's features. On one hand he had the not so pleasant aspect of having to deal with Hagrid's long explanations on those infernal worms. On the other, he had to compete with the staff to bring two students together. At present, he couldn't decide which one was more nauseating.  
  
" Very well. Place my name in the goblet."  
  
Flitwick did so, and just as he was about to seal the goblet, he paused.  
  
" What about Professor Trelawney? She isn't here right now, but should we include her?"  
  
" No. She said that she was actually anticipating the Fest, because she  
sensed some interesting planetary activity on the day." Said Lupin,  
while Professor Mcgonagall snorted.  
  
" What about Binns?"  
  
" Ghosts cannot leave the castle, so he is excluded anyway."  
  
Flitwick then sealed the goblet and muttered an incantation. Suddenly the goblet burst open and two slips of paper flew onto the table.  
  
Flitwick enlarged the pieces of parchment so that everyone could see.  
  
TEAM 1: Professors Sprout, Pince and Flitwick.  
  
TEAM 2: Professors Snape, Lupin and Mcgonagall.  
  
Snape turned away, fuming that he had been paired with his worst enemies. He would have preferred the Flobberworm Fest to this any day! Judging from the looks on Mcgonagall and Lupin's faces, they weren't too pleased about the arrangements either. It was then that all three of them chanced to look at Flitwick. He looked triumphant, like he knew that he was going to win this, because the other team had too many differences amongst them.  
  
What Flitwick had underestimated, was the one common point between all the members of the opposing team. All of them loved a challenge. To his amazement, the three proceeded to stiffly acknowledge each other and sit together at a table.  
  
All the six teachers gathered around the center of the room in order to decide who the two couples would be.  
  
" How about Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? I always see them fighting!" suggested Madam Pince  
  
" Dumbledore said unlikely couples. Granger and Weasley only fight so  
that they can make up, if you get my drift."  
  
" Severus! Must you be so vulgar?"  
  
" Lets just decide the couples and get to it shall we?"  
  
" I think a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin would make an unlikely couple,"  
said Professor Sprout, teasingly looking at Snape.  
  
Snape coolly glanced back at her and said  
  
" I think a Hufflepuff and ANYONE would make an unlikely couple."  
  
Sprout looked outraged, while Flitwick let out a loud cough.  
  
" Well I think that a Slytherin-"  
  
" Can we just get to business here?" said Mcgonagall, a little testily.  
  
" A Slytherin, and a Gryffindor?" said Lupin very softly.  
  
" Now that is by far the most unlikely couple I have heard of! I have  
never seen a Gryffindor interested in a Slytherin!" snapped Snape.  
  
" With good reason!" returned Mcgonagall.  
  
Snape was about to say something when Madam Pince intervened.  
  
" It is settled then. You will specialize in bringing together a  
Slytherin and a Gryffindor, and we will match up a Hufflepuff and a  
Ravenclaw. We have already decided to pair Justin Finch Fletchley with  
Mandy Brocklehurst..or Hannah Abbot with Terry Boot."  
  
" Who will we bring together?" Lupin wondered aloud, voicing the  
thoughts on both Snape and Mcgonagall's minds.  
  
" There's always Har-"  
  
" I refuse to have anything to do with Potter!"  
  
" Ro-"  
  
" Or Weasley! Besides, he's with Granger"  
  
" Severus why don't YOU suggest someone then? I personally think that  
Harry would make an excellent choice. He did save your life during the  
war you know," said Professor Mcgonagall.  
  
The room suddenly quietened, as everyone remembered the war and it had quite a sobering effect.  
  
" I-I thought that this was supposed to take our minds off the war," said Lupin hesitantly.  
  
Snape was lost in thought when suddenly Filch burst into the room.  
  
" Professors! I demand a detention! A sixth year and a seventh year  
have been fighting outside, completely disrupting Mrs. Norris's nap."  
  
"Calm down Filch," said Lupin, in a vain attempt to sooth the furious Squib.  
  
" You don't understand Professor! This boy and girl have been doing  
this everyday, and I haven't had a moment's rest!"  
  
At the mention of "boy and girl", Snape's ears pricked up.  
  
" Lead the way Filch."  
  
The six teachers slowly followed behind him and as they reached the scene, raised voices could be heard. The two were evidently involved in a very heated discussion.  
  
" I don't think you have any right to call other people WEASEL, when  
you are the only one who has actually experienced what it's like being  
a rodent!"  
  
" I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
" Does the name Alastor Moody ring a bell?"  
  
There was silence at this, and then Draco thought of his second year and his eyes gleamed.  
  
" I can write though."  
  
"What has that got to do with anything?"  
  
Striking a dramatic pose, Draco put on a high-pitched falsetto and began to sing.  
  
" His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a chalkboard-"  
  
Undaunted, Ginny came back with  
  
" At least I wasn't a crybaby!"  
  
" What?"  
  
It was Ginny's turn to put on a high-pitched voice now.  
  
"Daddy, Daddy, lets kill that Hippogryff, because it cut me on the arm!  
But Daddy, I conveniently forgot to tell you that I was the one who  
provoked it in the first place."  
  
Draco frowned, and it looked like things were going to get ugly, when they heard footsteps. Immediately the two prepared to flee to class.  
  
" This isn't over Weasley." Draco attempted to be menacing.  
  
" You bet it isn't!" Called Ginny as she ran off in the other direction.  
  
Draco shook his head and walked off, not knowing that the prominent members of the Hogwarts staff had witnessed this whole diatribe with Ginny. Things would probably have turned out very differently if he knew just what was going through their minds.  
  
Meanwhile, Flitwick and his team turned to Mcgonagall, Snape and Lupin, wearing identical grins on their faces. Mcgonagall sighed; Snape wrung his hands, while Lupin again voiced the thought on all their minds.  
  
" Well, we certainly have our work cut out for us!"  
  
*********************************************************************** AN: Presto! And there you have Chapter 3. I hope the reviews continue, because I get pretty discouraged easily. I'll continue with this fic, if I have over 15 reviews by Chapter 6. I don't know if it will be at all influenced by the Harry Potter book coming out this Saturday. That is.unless Ginny dies.* gulps* 


	4. The Dominant but helpful male

AN: Hey guys! Surprise! I did update(~ Its just cuz I luff you all so much! Well..hahah actually its because so many awesome ppl sent me reviews! That's so great:D, I'm hoping my dream of getting 36, by 6 chapters will come true! HINT HINT..*coughs*..hehehe. Anyhow, this is where things "heat up" a bit..so enjoy.  
  
PS: Although OOTP is a tad bit of a spoiler, this only includes important events in the story. **********************************************************************  
  
Over the following two weeks, Mcgonagall, Snape and Lupin met in the library to discuss their "plan of action." Students who stumbled upon them were dumbstruck at seeing teachers who they imagined to be enemies, actually collaborating together.  
  
Ginny seemed to be showing Percy like tendencies, and was one of the best witches in her year. She took advanced Transfiguration with the Seventh years and even seemed to be good at potions!  
  
" What a pity," sighed Snape, as he gazed down at yet another Potions test which she had aced.  
  
" Why?" asked Mcgonagall  
  
" We could have always assigned Malfoy to her as a tutor!" he replied.  
  
" Why don't we just separate and each come up with a strategy that  
involves our classes, and make one joint plan?" Lupin suggested.  
  
This idea was agreed upon, and then they decided to start it all with an unexpected encounter for the two students.  
  
" Just how are we supposed to do this? Besides, what is so romantic  
about unexpected meetings?" Asked Snape.  
  
" The unpredictable element. Unexpected happenings make people behave  
very differently than they normally would. There's nothing that an  
accidental late night rendezvous can't overcome!" Mcgonagall replied, sounding dreamy.  
  
Lupin rolled his eyes and Snape shook his head as they both mouthed "Women" behind Mcgonagall's back. Lupin began to smile, but it was erased from his face when he realized that he had just shared a friendly moment with Snape!  
  
Evidently Snape thought of this too because he quickly frowned again and cleared his throat.  
  
" So, what exactly are we going to do?"  
  
" I have been observing Miss Weasley's habits for the past few days, and it has come to my knowledge that she somehow sneaks out of the Gryffindor common room every Tuesday at midnight," said Mcgonagall.  
  
" Why?" asked Lupin  
  
" She goes to the Prefect's bathroom"  
  
" Why?" Lupin asked again, sounding more confused than ever.  
  
" To take a bath! It's a witch thing. "  
  
" But, she's entitled isn't she? Last time I checked, Weasley and Draco were both Prefects."  
  
" Yes, but that isn't her night for patrol. So she is actually breaking the rules by leaving the common room after nighttime."  
  
" How does she manage to go by unnoticed though?"  
  
Snape interfered now.  
  
" Potter's infernal invisibility cloak! He's been following her around  
like a puppy dog this year, I'm sure he would loan it to her anytime she  
wants. It will be very easy."  
  
Lupin meanwhile was frowning at Snape. He was now Harry's guardian, and  
he didn't like to hear him referred to in such terms.  
  
" Yes, I'm glad that you have figured that out, but what does this do to  
further our plan?" This query was from Mcgonagall.  
  
" Malfoy's patrol time is on the same night. Couldn't we arrange things  
so he "happens" to stumble across Weasley, when she's coming back from  
her bath?" Snape replied.  
  
" We could, but she's invisible! How are we supposed to know where the  
two of them are?" Mcgonagall asked.  
  
" Lupin knows. He still has that piece of parchment!"  
  
" What piece of parchment?" Lupin looked confused for a second, and then  
his face cleared and grew upset.  
  
"The Marauders map! Very interesting. Yes, Sirius, James and I designed  
it so that it would even show people in Invisibility Cloaks."  
  
Although the news was good, the corners of Lupin's mouth were turned down and he looked away and his voice caught, as he remembered his lost friends.  
  
Snape and Mcgonagall exchanged a look. Snape shifted uncomfortably, now aware that he had brought up a painful subject. Mcgonagall meanwhile attempted to brighten things up by saying  
  
"We could just assign that part of the corridor to Malfoy's patrol!  
Excellent. Severus, you will be going to bribe Peeves. Remus, bring the  
map to the faculty room this coming Tuesday night. Depending on the  
results of this exploit, we will plot out our moves from there."  
  
" But why should I bribe Peeves?"  
  
" What did I tell you about working together Severus? We need Peeves to  
create some sort of disturbance so that Malfoy and Ginny have to work  
together in order to escape it."  
  
" Strange, I never thought I would see the day where someone would  
actually ASK Peeves to cause trouble." Snape grumbled, as he gathered  
his things and prepared to leave.  
  
Mcgonagall coughed and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Fred Weasley!"  
  
" In case it has escaped your notice, Minerva and Severus, Tuesday just  
happens to be tomorrow!" Lupin said agitatedly.  
  
" Well in that case, we'll have to burn the midnight oil! I'm on my way  
to tell Malfoy about his patrol now. That map better be with you the  
room tomorrow Lupin!" With this, Snape turned on his heel and left.  
  
Lupin was left with his mouth open.  
  
" I think that it is rather unfa-"  
  
" Goodbye Remus! Don't forget to bring refreshments with you as well!"  
  
Mcgonagall too hurried away, unaware of the fact that Lupin was pulling a particularly hideous face at her turned back. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
At the stroke of midnight on Tuesday night, 5 people were doing very different things. Ginny Weasley was wrapping Harry Potter's cloak around her and gingerly hopping through the portrait hole, while Draco Malfoy made his way to the corridor in front of the prefect's bathroom.  
  
Mcgonagall, Snape and Lupin were all hunched over the map in the staffroom, monitoring every move. They had decided to take turns, so each teacher was assigned a "shift".  
  
To his luck, Lupin was first.  
  
" Who knew that Severus Snape snored in his sleep? Well, another juicy  
piece of information for Moody!" Lupin mused to himself, as he gazed at  
the Ginny Weasley dot and the Draco Malfoy dot.  
  
MEANWHILE  
  
Ginny curled her toes and inhaled blissfully, absorbing the sweet smelling warmth around her. She closed her eyes, and sank down a little further. Suddenly, she slipped and slid underwater with a shriek. She emerged laughing, until she heard a sharp voice. A voice that she knew all too well.  
  
" Who is that? Is there someone in there?"  
  
Draco had been pacing the corridor, so bored that he was trying to see if he could make a dent in the floor with his feet. He had heard a squealing sound come from the bathroom and immediately tried to find out what, or who it was.  
  
Ginny quickly jumped out of the bathtub, toweled herself hastily and threw on her bathrobe. She pulled Harry's cloak on and peeked through the crack in the bathroom door. Sure enough, there stood Malfoy, glaring curiously at the door, waiting to prey on his victim. She stifled a grin when she pictured his astonishment at the door opening and no one seeming to come out.  
  
The bathroom door slid open, and Ginny slipped outside confidently and walked past Draco, grinning with the knowledge that the look on his face was exactly what she had imagined.  
  
Draco was confused. The door opened, but no one came out! Still, a very distinct smell of roses and peach wafted to his nose as something passed by. He began to wonder if there was some kind of ghost he didn't know about.  
  
" Don't be silly Draco, how can a ghost smell like roses and peaches?"  
he reasoned with himself, looking around cautiously all the same.  
  
STAFFROOM  
  
Just as Lupin's head was beginning to slump over the map, he noticed movement. He gleefully woke Snape up, directed him toward the map, and fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Through bleary eyes, Snape looked at the two dots. He detected that Ginny Weasley was just at the point of walking past Malfoy uncaught. Snape knew better however, and his lips twisted in a sly smile.  
  
" Do your thing Peeves."  
  
Ginny was quickly walking to the other side of the corridor, when a loud noise made her halt in her tracks. She heard loud singing and howling and silently groaned. Peeves was at it again!  
  
Unfortunately, after his participation in the war, Dumbledore had endowed him with the power of seeing through invisibility cloaks. Something the poltergeist had specifically requested, so that he could spy on more students.  
  
She quickly ran the other way. Unfortunately her head was turned and she didn't notice that she was running straight at Malfoy. It wasn't until she found herself face to face with Draco that she realized what had happened. Judging by the expression on his face, her cloak had probably fallen off during her run.  
  
Draco heard the raucous noises and wrinkled his nose in disgust.  
  
" Bloody poltergeist. Between him and Filch, I'll get gray hair before I graduate! "  
  
Before he had the time to substantiate this thought, something knocked into him hard and he made a grab, just in time feel the fall of something smooth. Draco was again confronted with that intoxicating smell of roses and peach, and when he looked up, he gulped.  
  
He was face to face with Ginny Weasley. Ginny Weasley, whose hair was soaking, and who was wearing nothing but a bathrobe.  
  
Snape yawned and stretched. His work was done. He quickly woke Minerva with a tickling charm, watching her squirm and finally burst out into a shrill giggle, which made him wince and regret his choice of spell. Mcgonagall woke up in a fury and was on the verge of transfiguring him into a toad, when he shoved the map into her hands and fled from the staff room.  
  
Ginny decided to make a dash for it. She made as if to move, when her hand was seized and she found her face pressed into Malfoy's chest, and her back against the wall.  
  
" Peeves is still in the next corridor, any noise will alert him." He  
whispered in her ear, causing her skin to involuntarily break into goose  
bumps.  
  
Goosebumps from Malfoy! Although Ginny chastised herself for reacting the way she did, she was secretly quite comfortable. Draco felt so warm and smelt wonderful. She could feel his heart beat under her temple, and unconsciously nuzzled her head into the crook of his arm.  
  
Draco was annoyed at himself. He knew very well that Peeves wouldn't hear a thing, however he was looking for an excuse to have Ginny next to him. There was something he felt here that he did not want to admit to himself, and definitely not to her.  
  
When she moved her head, he couldn't help but smile at her gesture and moved his arm so she could rest her head against it. Her wet hair unstuck from her neck and fell in a loose curtain around them. Forgetting himself, Draco inhaled and twirled a strand of it around his fingers. It wasn't until he saw the quizzical brown gaze above him that he comprehended what he was doing.  
  
Ginny was just adjusting herself in Malfoy's arms when her hair escaped from its wet hold and fell around them. When she tried to push it aside, she found that she couldn't, because her hands were trapped against Malfoy's chest. She was distracted when he suddenly took a strand of her hair and twirled it around his finger.  
  
Draco's eyes widened when he realized what he was doing, and he looked at his hand, still holding her hair, and then into her eyes, which were locked with his.  
  
Ginny felt helpless. Not physically, but definitely mentally. Draco seemed to have some unknown power over her, and with one single gesture, had managed to awaken feelings that she didn't even know existed.  
  
The moment was ruined however when Peeves threw a water balloon onto them.  
  
Mcgonagall cursed loudly, causing Lupin to jerk awake.  
  
" That abysmal poltergeist has ruined things again! I knew he couldn't  
be trusted! I think there was going to be an important MOMENT between  
those two, which of course, he interrupted!"  
  
Lupin was too sleepy to remind Mcgonagall that it had been her idea to involve Peeves. He merely sighed, and fell back to sleep.  
  
Ginny quickly moved away from Draco, who looked very angry. He frowned at her and then quickly turned his gaze toward the ceiling.  
  
" Get Lost Peeves! I'm a Slytherin remember? The Bloody Baron is my House ghost!"  
  
At this, Peeves gave a rude retort, and pelted the poor students with water before sailing away.  
  
" Ok, I'll just be going now. Good night Weasel!"  
  
Malfoy was in a great hurry to get back to his common room and berate himself for what he had almost done. Unfortunately for him, he was so preoccupied in his thoughts of "almost kissing the weasel" that he didn't notice the water on the floor. It was only when he heard the distinct giggle behind him that it sunk in.  
  
When Malfoy prepared to leave, Ginny felt a little dejected.  
  
" Stop! You are only proving Colin right! You didn't actually want to  
kiss him did you?" she angrily questioned herself.  
  
But she couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in her throat when she saw his hurried walk interrupted by the water on the floor. He slipped, and fell to the floor in a graceful arc.  
  
"Damn him! How can he be clumsy and graceful at the same time?" she  
mumbled to herself, as she picked up the fallen cloak and walked over to  
see if she could help him up.  
  
Draco shook his head and tried to ignore the throbbing in his back as he raised himself onto his elbows.  
  
" Need some help?"  
  
Ginny stood before him, her arm outstretched. He made a face, grasped it, and pulled himself up. Their weight was entirely out of sync however, and this resulted in Ginny almost falling on him.  
  
Of course he had to prevent this. Through a tangle of limbs, Ginny found that she was in Draco's arms once again, slightly bemused when she found out that she wasn't exactly averse to her position.  
  
"Look Weasel, just work with me." Malfoy turned her around against him,  
and placed his hands on her hips.  
  
" Place your feet on mine."  
  
" What in the world?"  
  
" Shhh Virginia, just do it!"  
  
" Alright, but don't say I didn''t warn you. I'm not exactly a feather  
you know. And do you mind telling me WHY exactly we're doing this?"  
  
"Because we are bound to slip if we walk on our own. This water seems to  
be enchanted. I studied about it in Charms, and I remember Flitwick  
telling me something about putting weight on it."  
  
"You actually pay attention in class?"  
  
" Will you stop being a smart-ass and hurry up?"  
  
Ginny complied, and let out a squeak when Draco wrapped his arms firmly around her (very ticklish) waist.  
  
" Alright, now walk with me. Whenever I raise my foot, you raise your foot along with mine, ok?"  
  
Ginny nodded. They somehow managed to walk past the puddle of water, and when the reached the end, the two of them just remained as they were for a moment, secretly enjoying their position.  
  
Draco was panting and out of breath, that was more difficult that he had expected! Add to this his painful back and the confusion he felt about his unexpected happiness of having Ginny in his arms; and he was now furious.  
  
Ginny wriggled out of his grasp, hopped off his feet and looked up at Draco. She couldn't see very well in the corridor, but it seemed as though he was frowning. Still, he had helped her, and been sweeter than she had ever expected. Instead of thinking of her mixed feelings, she decided to just thank him and walk away.  
  
" Thank you Draco."  
  
" Don't mention it." He replied brusquely, and began walking away when he stopped.  
  
The weasel had just called him by his first name, and it sounded so...different. He turned around and watched her walk away without a backward glance.  
  
Ginny walked toward her common room, willing herself not to turn around, although she desperately wanted to.  
  
Mcgonagall sighed.  
  
" The dominant but helpful male. How romantic!"  
  
Lupin turned over and somehow managed to again mouth the word "Women", although he was fast asleep!  
  
AN: At last! Some action! The good news is, things only get better from here. The bad news is, that Harry wants to play a sizeable part in Ginny's lovelife as well. I know Draco was a little OOC in this chapter, but that is the effect I wanted, because it shows how there is more to him, than Ginny thought. I mean..who can resist a gentlemanly+ hot guy right? Hehe..well keep reviewing and I'll keep writing:D, you know the drill! 


	5. Unsuccessful Avoiding attempts

AN: I'm baaaaaaaack! Thank you thank you and thank you MORE for the reviews, my face practically SPLIT with grinning when I checked my email :D..still doing it now~ So heres the fifth chapter, which sort of remedies the "fastness" of the action. Hope y'all like it( Btw, for anyone who cares..Spain was great!  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Draco twirled his finger around her hair and met her quizzical gaze. He looked at his hand, and then into her eyes and pulled her face closer to his.with his lips slowly closing in on hers. Just as their lips were about to brush however,  
  
Ginny sat up suddenly, her eyes open and her breath coming out in fast gasps.  
  
" Draco..Malfoy?" she whispered to herself, wondering at how the name  
suddenly sounded different to her.  
  
She lay back on her pillow and stared at the canopy of her bed, her eyes adjusting to the darkness around her. The strange fluttering in her heart and stomach would not cease, so no matter how she tossed and turned, she couldn't sleep.  
  
Ginny sat up again and drew her knees to her chest, thinking about the events that had occurred that night. Resignedly, she pulled out her journal and began to scribble furiously in it.  
  
" Draco Malfoy and I had a little episode outside the prefect's  
bathroom tonight. He was on patrol; I went for my bath. Unfortunately,  
Peeves decided to pick this night, and that particular corridor to  
wreak his mayhem; so it ended up with Malfoy and I attached to each  
other. Literally.  
  
He smelt as good as usual(she paused for a minute when she wrote this,  
realizing that she had unknowingly inhaled his scent many times before  
and enjoyed it) and although I'm confused about it, I think I actually  
enjoyed our proximity.  
  
Judging by the way he behaved, I think he did too. However Peeves came  
and saved us ("You mean ruined," hissed a secret part of her brain, but  
she hushed it and continued on). Yet, it was thanks to Peeves that we  
ended up together again, confronting a puddle of water.  
  
Oh! The action and adventure one faces in Hogwarts corridors! But for  
some reason Diary, I dreamt of the moment that Peeves interrupted, and  
in this dream, we carried it a bit further. I don't know what that  
means, and frankly I don't want to.  
  
The very fact that my dream ended before the "crucial moment" must mean  
something! I am quite positive I don't have feelings for him, despite my  
admiration of his dead sexy body and those silver eyes (she shivered  
slightly, when she remembered how they had been locked in hers).  
  
Well even if I do have some feelings for him, which I don't, I'm going  
to suppress them, because I know that they are purely PHYSICAL.  
  
His personality is not exactly what you'd call lovable, or compatible,  
and there IS the fact that he could be an ex death eater! I'm sure the  
only reason we behaved the way we did was because we were in completely  
unfamiliar circumstances. Nothing to it, Neither of us would want it to  
happen again.  
  
I am just going to pretend that none of this ever happened. True, our  
fighting is probably going to come to a halt; so I think I'll just avoid  
him as much as possible. I mean its not as if I have to see him in class  
or anything."  
  
With this, she ended her entry and fell back into her bed.  
  
" Oh yes, and there is the other fact that my brothers would mace him  
if he was caught anywhere near me."  
  
She mumbled this to herself as she drifted off.  
  
Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy was pacing around his room, thinking the very same thoughts as Ginny in a far more concise manner.  
  
" I don't like her. I mean that's why we fight ALL the time! She's  
gorgeous, but that's probably the only reason that "thing" almost  
happened. Thank goodness Peeves bothered us when he did. (He mentally  
shook a fist at the poltergeist however).  
  
Our personalities just don't work well together. Gryffindor and  
Slytherin, that's an unheard of combination.and I don't intend to make  
it one either! Plus, there IS the fact that the Weasel would mace me if  
he caught me anywhere near his sister.  
  
I'm just going to pretend that none of this ever happened. The fighting  
is going to have to stop (he grimaced at this, because he loved seeing  
her face when she got angry and he would miss it) and I'll avoid her as  
much as possible. I mean its not as if I have to see her in class or  
anything."  
  
Little did the two of them know.......................  
  
Professor Mcgonagall also couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the Flobberworm Fest haunted her, and she was more determined than ever to bring Draco and Ginny together. But how? Things were bound to change after what had happened tonight.  
  
Knowing the stubborn natures of the two students, they would probably go out of their way to make sure nothing followed and to forget about it. She would just have to do something.  
  
" What can I do?" she reasoned aloud with herself, lighting her wand as she said so.  
  
When she reached for her wand, a stash of papers fell to the floor beside Mcgonagall's bed. She sighed and leaned down to pick them up when the light of her wand showed her the name on one of the papers.  
  
" Ginny Weasley, Advanced Transfiguration."  
  
Professor Mcgonagall frowned to herself, and then a smile spread over her features.  
  
" With the seventh years of course! Well Miss Weasley, I suppose you'll  
have to have class with the Slytherin's tomorrow then. And I might just  
happen to partner you up with someone you don't expect!"  
  
After she said this Mcgonagall attempted to give a scheming, evil laugh, but ended up coughing really loudly in the process, so she abandoned the attempt. A glass of water later, she too was fast asleep.  
  
Ginny stared drowsily at her plate of toast, and then at the knife in her hand, because she really didn't know what it was doing there. She squinted her eyes and looked for the jam, willing herself to stay awake.  
  
" Ginnykins, are you alright?" Colin paused in the middle of his avid  
conversation with Seamus to enquire after the redhead.  
  
" Huh? Oh! I'm fine, yes completely fine" she responded, slightly startled.  
  
Colin muttered an apology to Seamus and swiveled around to face her.  
  
" Alright, now I know you are definitely not fine. First of all there  
are little dark baggies under your lovely amber eyes, and you let me  
call you Ginnykins, which clearly indicates that you are not paying  
attention to your surroundings."  
  
" What baggies? Shut up Colin! I told you, I'm.fine" Ginny yawned and  
stretched at the end of her sentence, inadvertently hitting Harry over  
the head with her knife, causing him to jump and stick his elbow in the  
butter.  
  
Colin stifled a giggle, while Draco, who was watching from across the hall, laughed outright.  
  
" Oh Harry! I'm so sorry!"  
  
Harry turned around, but when he saw whom it was he gave an ingratiating grin. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to Ginny.  
  
" No Ginny, its quite alright. Did you get any sleep last night?"  
  
Ginny was taken aback. He knew? How did he know?  
  
" W-what makes you say that?" she blurted.  
  
Harry looked a little confused.  
  
" Well you had been yawning, and you look kind of tired. Of course,  
after this little incident (he rubbed the back of his head) I can  
tell."  
  
" I'm really sorry, again."  
  
Harry smiled slowly  
  
" I know just how you can make it up to me" he said, leaning toward her slightly.  
  
Ginny leaned back, panicking, unaware that the entire Gryffindor table's eyes were riveted on her, and that every male in Hogwarts was calling Harry colorful and strong expletives under his breath.  
  
Fortunately they were interrupted by the arrival of an owl that flew directly between them and landed on Ginny's arm. Harry moved backwards, startled, while Ginny took the parchment from it's beak, inwardly heaving a sigh of relief.  
  
When she opened the parchment, her face went white and her knife clattered to the floor. She dropped the parchment, and ignoring the enquiries of everyone around her, fled from the hall. Ron picked the parchment up and when he read it, he swore loudly.  
  
" Dear Ms.Weasley,  
  
I have to inform you that you will have your Transfiguration Class  
with the Slytherins today. The Gryffindors will have Potions instead.  
Please come to class ready with all your material  
  
Professor Mcgonagall"  
  
" Double potions with Snape!" Ron wailed  
  
" Ginny with the Slytherins" Hermoine muttered, raising her eyebrows.  
  
" Ginny with Malfoy." Harry growled, stabbing at his eggs.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Draco Malfoy had been going through his usual morning routine. He was munching his toast while tuning out the asinine comments made by Pansy Parkinson, who practically glued herself to him. Of course, to round all this off, he was secretly gazing at Ginny Weasley.  
  
He was satisfied to see that she too had gotten little sleep last night. He rubbed at his own eyes, and couldn't help the guffaw that escaped him when she hit Potter over the head with her knife.  
  
" Draco darling, what are you laughing at?" Pansy shrilled  
  
Draco sighed and busied himself in his toast again, stuffing his mouth with it and mumbling something indecipherable.  
  
When his eyes were back on the redhead again, he noticed with a stab of alarm that Potter was far closer to her than before. In fact, it was so close that he looked like he was going to.  
  
Draco's fist clenched around the piece of toast he was holding until it crumbled to dusty bits of bread and fell to the floor. When Blaise Zabini turned to see who had made the mess, he noticed his friend staring at the Gryffindor table with an expression of utter fury on his face.  
  
" Everything alright mate?"  
  
Draco snapped out of it and turned his head towards Blaise.  
  
" What? Oh yes, quite alright thanks, why do you ask?"  
  
" Oh no reason, you just looked like you had eaten Pansy's cooking."  
  
Draco shuddered at this.  
  
" Nothing that bad, thank goodness."  
  
" Then what is it Drake?"  
  
" Nothing, I told you!" however, Draco's eyes had strayed back to Ginny,  
and he too heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Potter's moves  
intercepted by the owl.  
  
" Are you checking out Potter?" Blaise drawled.  
  
Draco indignantly turned toward him and was about to protest when he noticed Ginny turn white, drop the parchment and run out of the room.  
  
" What's written on that parchment?" he wondered.  
  
Getting up, he clapped Blaise on the shoulder, gave Pansy a careless wave, and made his way outside.  
  
He was walking back to his hall when he saw it, pasted on the wall.  
  
NOTICE TO ALL SEVENTH YEAR SLYTHERINS.  
  
He went towards the paper, and read what it said underneath.  
  
Potions will be held tomorrow, and today you will have Transfiguration  
instead. All sixth years who are taking Advanced Transfiguration are to  
attend as well.  
  
Draco didn't really mind this, he rather liked Transfiguration. He was in the middle of wondering who the advanced sixth years were, when he suddenly realized and gulped.  
  
That would of course, explain the reason behind Ginny's reactions at the breakfast table. Mcgonagall must have sent her a letter about the class change.  
  
" Why Why Why did it have to be HER of all people?" he asked the ceiling.  
  
Draco let out a deep breath, while massaging his forehead, and walked slowly toward his common room.  
  
Ginny had run upstairs and was looking at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was awry and Colin was right! There were little baggies under her eyes! An inspection of the time revealed that she had five minutes left till class.  
  
" Why Why Why did it have to be HIM of all people? I'm supposed to be  
avoiding Draco!" she groaned.  
  
" Avoiding who?" asked Hermoine curiously, stepping into the dormitory.  
  
" Hermione! What are you doing here?"  
  
" You seemed a little off at breakfast, so I'm just here to make sure you're alright."  
  
" I'm fine thanks, by the way, you wouldn't happen to know any makeup  
charms would you?" Ginny questioned, already knowing the answer. There  
was no way that Hermione's hair would lie that flat without some help.  
  
" As a matter of fact, I do. What do you need?"  
  
" Something for these," Ginny said, pointing at her eyes " Also this"  
she said, pointing at her hair.  
  
Hermoine grinned.  
  
" Why are you so preoccupied with your appearance all of a sudden Gin?"  
  
Her words hit home, and Ginny too secretly wondered why she cared. She ignored the voice that coughed "Draco!" and said  
  
" Its just, I looked in the mirror today and was quite frightened by  
what I saw, to tell you the truth."  
  
" Alright then. Come here."  
  
Five minutes later, Ginny sped to class, her eyes looking remarkably fresh and her hair falling gracefully to her shoulders. As she entered, she looked around at all the taken seats and bit her lip when she noticed that the only one left was next to Draco.  
  
She avoided his eye, and sat down next to him, taking out her materials for class.  
  
Draco had not been alone at first; Pansy was wedged in firmly next to him. However Mcgonagall insisted that she sit next to Blaise, much to the former's anger and Blaise's worry.  
  
When Ginny walked into the room, Draco glanced up and his breath caught. She had done something during that brief period she was out of the hall. She looked...different.  
  
Not that he cared what she looked like of course. He tore his eyes away from her and fixed them on his book, smiling mentally at the fact that her cheeks were flushed, just the way he liked them.  
  
Ginny slid into the seat next to him and Draco firmly resolved to stare ahead of him for the entire class session. However, he could not help but notice that she was furtively rubbing her cheeks.  
  
" What are you doing?" he whispered, throwing her off guard, and causing her head to snap in his direction.  
  
After an effort Ginny spoke  
  
" Trying to-" she gestured towards her cheeks "rub this flush off"  
  
At that moment Mcgonagall came in and Draco turned back to face the front.  
  
" It will only get worse if you rub it. " He muttered through the side  
of his mouth, feeling her look curiously at him.  
  
Ginny too turned in front to pay attention, deciding not to talk to him unless it was necessary. As it turned out, it was going to be very necessary indeed.  
  
Mcgonagall stared at the class, and abruptly announced  
  
" We are going to practice a particularly complicated type of spell  
today, so you will have to work with another person."  
  
The class began buzzing with chatter  
  
"Zabini?"  
  
" Can you choose who you can work with Professor?"  
  
" No. You will work with whoever you're sitting with."  
  
Mcgonagall replied coolly, while Blaise buried his head in his hands and Pansy gave a toss of her hair.  
  
Mcgonagall's eyes flicked to Draco and Ginny whose faces looked like they were just registering the information. Ginny was wide eyed and nervous, while Draco's face grew completely expressionless.  
  
" You will work with whoever you're sitting with."  
  
It was as if the chatter around the room had suddenly been muted. These words of Mcgonagall's echoed round and round in Ginny's head. Sitting with Draco had been enough, now she had to work with him?  
  
Her eyes widened at what this would mean, and she nervously turned toward him, their eyes met and she noted that his own held not even a flicker of expression.  
  
Draco was thinking the very same thing and he felt his heart thumping in his ears when he heard Mcgonagall. He quickly exhaled and made his face completely blank.  
  
Then, he turned towards Ginny, catching her eye immediately and noting that she was not doing as good a job at hiding her nervousness as he was.  
  
The two didn't say anything but Mcgonagall interrupted their reverie  
  
" Well, what are you waiting for class? Work!" ************************************************************************  
  
A/N: Ooo a cliffie of sorts! Don't worry, the next chapter will have more action, I promise! It has to, considering that it includes the roles that Snape and Lupin will have to play. Also! I thought of the PERFECT ending to this story..lets just say that Draco says a lot of very attractive things (in MY opinion anyway) but we still have a ways to go. I'm gonna have to finish this fic by the 14 th of August however, that's when my school starts *shakes fist at evil, sadistic, school administration* Till the next chapter.. REVIEWWWWWW 


	6. Thrown together again

DISCLAIMER: Aieee…I KEEP forgetting this! Not mine not mine not mine~  
  
AN: Wow you guys! That was really impressive, I felt so glad when I checked my email yesterday! I'm honestly starting to think that reviews are good for health or something. Thanks to all of you, who are so encouraging, I get up at midnight with excellent ideas for a new chapter(ENRAGING my mom in the process might I add),but I gotta excuse myself for this one. It might not be quite up to par because it was written while I was doing three other things. Ie, drooling over my new Josh Hartnett poster, reading Sherwood Smith fanfics(I LOVE court duel, anyone who knows a good fic site, pls recommend, an DO tell me what "Vidanric's b'day surprise" is) and watching Friends, but I figured I needed to put one more up this week..so here ya go! Enjoyyyyyy  
  
NOTE: There is smthn weird going on either w/ff.net or my comp, and it is causing all my parenthesis and inverted commas to appear as this ". So when you see that, just assume a parenthesis was meant to be there, and continue reading the dialogue.  
  
Ginny and Draco exchanged a look, then Draco raised his hand.  
  
" Malfoy?"  
  
" Well Professor, what exactly is it that you want us to do?"  
  
Professor Mcgonagall looked at the two of them. Draco and Ginny were sitting as far apart as possible, and the expressions on their faces were distinctly uneasy. Obviously she would have to assign them a task which would force them to work rather closely.  
  
" You have read the chapters I assigned for homework, I presume?"  
  
" Yes Professor."  
  
" Well Miss Weasley, would you care to tell me what exactly the content  
of chapter 5 is about?"  
  
Ginny gulped and looked up at Professor Mcgonagall.  
  
" The chapter talks about the different types of Transfiguration there  
are. It explains how the person performing the spell can affect the end  
result, so basically at this level, the item produced from  
transfiguration depends on the person who does the spell."  
  
Mcgonagall smiled. This answer was perfect for her to explain.  
  
" Very good Miss Weasley! Well class, this is why I partnered you together. You will all have the same object to begin with, and use the same spell. However, your level of expertise and the effort you put into the spell, determines the object it will be transfigured into."  
  
Pansy Parkinson raised her hand.  
  
" What does SHE want?" Professor Mcgonagall thought to herself in exasperation  
  
"Yes Miss Parkinson?"  
  
" But Professor, why do we need to partner up with people for this?"  
  
" Because, Miss Parkinson, the end result of your transfiguration also  
depends on how you work with your partner. As I mentioned, this is a  
very complicated spell, so you and your partner will need to  
communicate and be completely in sync in order to achieve the desired  
result. The spell has been written in your textbooks, ready for you to  
perform. I hope there are no more questions?"  
  
There were no more questions. Everyone in class was far too busy digesting this latest bit of information.  
  
" Communicate and be completely in sync, she says. Well you tell me, how  
am I supposed to do that with someone I was lying on top of last night?"  
  
Ginny muttered to herself as she clattered her possessions around. She didn't know that she had said this aloud, and her cheeks turned scarlet when Draco turned to her, his eyes widening.  
  
" Please, oh please, tell me you didn't just hear what I was thinking?" Ginny winced.  
  
Dracos embarrassed expression gave way to a slow smile.  
  
" Actually, you did, Weasel. And that flush that you were trying so hard to rub off is back with a vengeance!"  
  
Ginny frowned. How come he wasnt feeling the least bit awkward about this? That was definitely the impression he was giving off earlier on. Well, if he was going to feel comfortable, there was no reason for her not to!  
  
" Well come on then, lets get cracking on this spell. What exactly are  
we going to do?"  
  
Draco was taken aback. How had she bounced back so quickly? One moment she was the color of her hair, muttering things under her breath and refusing to meet his eye, and now she was her regular confident self, behaving as though nothing had happened! He resolved to do the same.  
  
They opened their textbooks and read the spell. Ginny then drew the object out from under the table; it was a small bottle of bath salts (Obviously, Professor Mcgonagall had done this on purpose). She shivered involuntarily and shook her head, laying the object on the table and sneaking a look at Draco.  
  
For a moment he too lost his blank expression and gave a start, staring at the bottle before him. When Ginny realized that Draco was as affected as she was, she gave a secret smile to herself. Draco meanwhile took a deep breath, willing his face to stay calm and resume its expression, while he suppressed the urge to run both his hands through his hair.  
  
" Alright," Ginnys voice was slightly unsteady " It says here, that we will be required to point our wands at the, the," she stopped for a minute, unsure how to continue.  
  
" Bath salts?" Draco finished for her.  
  
" Er yes, we will both be required to point our wands at the desired object, and perform the spell at the same time."  
  
Draco was about to reply, when they heard sniggers coming from the table near them.  
  
" My wand is already pointed at the desired object," said Rick, a sixth  
year Slytherin, staring straight at Ginny.  
  
Ginny looked puzzled. Why was he looking at her? And where was his wand? Most of all, why was Dracos face so furious all of a sudden? It then dawned on her, and she turned away, looking down at the floor.  
  
When Draco heard the insolent remark made by Rick, all his awkward feelings melted away. All he felt was fury at the vile comment made by him and how Ginny would feel because of this, he forced his features to reassemble, and when he spoke, his voice was steely.  
  
" Apologize,"  
  
Rick looked up at Draco, noting the Prefects badge, the age difference and also the several inches of height they had between them.  
  
" I was just—"  
  
Draco interrupted at this point, smiling mildly, he said  
  
" I said apologize, or you and your "wand" are going to find yourselves in a particularly unpleasant situation."  
  
Rick scowled.  
  
" I'm sorry Weas-" when he saw Dracos expression he quickly changed this  
to Ginny.  
  
" Its fine" Ginny mumbled, and sank back into her chair.  
  
The entire class had stopped its work, gazing at the scene that had enfolded in front of them. Mcgonagall included. She had no idea that Draco felt protective towards Ginny.  
  
Only the bright glint in Dracos eyes gave away his anger, his calm was calculated to intimidate, and it had worked.  
  
" Are you alright?" Dracos voice changed completely when he addressed the redhead, and Ginny turned towards him, puzzled at the strange expression in his eyes.  
  
" Im fine, thanks Draco. You didnt really have to do that."  
  
Draco smirked,  
  
"That boy has been annoying me for a while now! His ass deserved what was  
coming to him anyway!"  
  
Ginny grinned at his slangish manner of speaking, and suddenly, it seemed as though the mood between them had lightened a bit. She couldnt help the secret delight she felt at Dracos defense of her.  
  
" Calm down Gin, he would probably do the same for anyone else." She  
reasoned with herself.  
  
Draco was thinking something along those lines too, but he knew very well that this was not the case. He would not have felt and reacted that way if it had been anyone else, but Ginny.  
  
" Alright, are you ready?" Ginny looked up at him, suddenly determined to do her best on the spell.  
  
" Yes. Lets say the spell at the count of three shall we?"  
  
" One, Two, Three…Transformera!"  
  
It seemed to work. Suddenly, the jar of bath salts rose into the air, surrounded by golden sparks. Ginny gazed up at it, enthralled, then the object began to fall to the table, and Draco caught it in his hand.  
  
It was a beautiful white rose. Draco held it up in front of him, admiring the pearly color of the petals, and then inhaled the scent. When he did so, a bolt of shock ran through him. It smelt exactly as Ginny had the other night! Of roses and peach! His hand shook for a moment, and he quickly placed the rose on the table and walked towards Blaise.  
  
" Blaise, can I see your bottle for a minute?"  
  
" Not a problem"  
  
Draco looked at Blaises bottle. The bath salt type was seaweed and mermaid musk which was the same as his, but it smelt quite different. Draco was extremely puzzled. Why was it that only his flower smelt the way Ginny did? He looked back at the table to see Ginny holding the rose, the expression of tenderness on her face making it even more beautiful. He slowly walked nearer to her, watching her gently stroke the petals and inhale the scent.  
  
Ginny took a deep breath, the smell that washed over her was of roses and peach. Roses and peach! That was the same bath foam she had used yesterday! Was this why Draco had reacted so strangely when he had done the same? She turned around and looked for him, only to see him standing right behind her, his eyebrows raised.  
  
" Smells familiar doesnt it", he managed to say.  
  
" Y-yes, it does."  
  
" You know what I find confusing Weasley? The fact that everyone elses smells quite unlike ours."  
  
Ginny frowned. So he was back to calling her Weasley was he? She hated this, how could he behave so tenderly one moment, and go back to being a superior prick the next?  
  
" Well Malfoy", she glared at him, " I wouldnt really know!"  
  
Mcgonagall who had been observing them keenly all this time, was glad to see that her idea about the smell had taken effect. However, it seemed like Draco was going to great lengths to makeup for his momentary slip in defending Ginny. Mcgonagall realized that he was upset with himself for revealing his feelings for Ginny in such a manner, and was behaving like an ass to cover it up.  
  
She sighed wearily and made the conclusion that the hormones and emotions in those two were far more complicated than any spell ever made.  
  
When the class ended, Draco and Ginny were the only ones to have gotten the white rose as a result. Mcgonagall drew attention to this and talked about how a good relationship between partners was key to getting the object of importance. This of course drew many curious stares from the Slytherins; the star of their house had performed well as usual, but with a Gryffindor? Ginny refused to meet anyones eye and was just about to run out of class when Draco called her name, and she turned around and walked towards him.  
  
Draco was cursing himself for what he was doing.  
  
" What is wrong with you man? One moment you are her knight of honor, and the next your being a complete prick! Why cant there be one indifferent medium?"  
  
As he was thinking this to himself, he noticed that the rose was still lying on the table and that Ginny hadnt yet gone out of the classroom. He called her name, immediately regretting doing so. As she walked towards him, he sighed resignedly and held the rose out in front of him.  
  
" Here."  
  
Ginny looked confused.  
  
" Are you..Are you giving this to me?"  
  
" Well it doesnt really look good with my outfit does it?" Draco replied  
testily, thrusting the flower towards her.  
  
" We can just leave it here" Ginny shrugged, trying not to take it from  
him, and testing him to see what he would say. Draco sensed this, but  
played right into her trap.  
  
" No, you should keep it." He said, smirking slightly.  
  
" Why dont you give it to Parkinson?" Ginny was being annoying now, but  
she had her reasons.  
  
" Why dont you give it to Potter?" Draco replied, mimicking her.  
  
" Because I dont like Harry!" Ginny burst out, clapping her hand over  
her mouth after she said this.  
  
" Well neither do I, and Im not particularly fond of Pansy either, so you should have it." Draco replied, smirking more than ever, until he realized that he had just admitted that he was fond of Ginny.  
  
He hoped fervently that she wouldn't figure it out as well.  
  
Ginny hadnt figured it out, but she was unreasonably pleased that Draco did not want to give the flower to Pansy. She smiled at him and reached for it, he smirked back and drew it out of her reach. Ginny stopped, frowned and waited for him to lower his hand, when he did, she lunged for it, only to find herself snatching at thin air again. Dracos laughter echoed around the classroom.  
  
" Fine then, Malfoy. You can KEEP the bloody flower, I dont have time for your stupid games!" Ginny snapped in a huff, stomping off. She was stopped in her path by Draco who grabbed her hand, turned her towards him, and gently pushed the flower into her shining locks of hair.  
  
" I cant think of a better place to see it." He whispered, and practically sprinted out of the classroom, leaving Ginny open mouthed with shock.  
  
" Shouldntve done that, shouldtve done that, shouldtve DONE that!" Draco muttered to himself as he ran frantically down the corridor.  
  
Ginny touched the rose in her hair, and was about to take it out. She hesitated, and then pushed it back in, picking up her bag and walking slowly out of the classroom.  
  
Mcgonagall, who had been hiding out behind her storage closet, had observed all that occurred. She crept out, and heaved a sigh of relief. Her plan had worked somewhat the way she wanted it to. It had removed all the awkwardness between the two of them, but the fighting seemed to have returned full force.  
  
" It is SO obvious that the two of them have feelings for each other. Why dont they just see it and act on it? What is Draco going to do when he sees her again? Does Potter like Ginny as well? Why am I asking myself so many questions?"  
  
" I think the main question is, why are you talking to yourself?" came a voice from the doorway.  
  
Mcgonagall snapped around, and there, lounging against her doorframe was Professor Snape.  
  
" Well Severus, Ive done my part. We now definitely know that the two of  
them are harboring suppressed attraction for each other. At least we  
didn't have to make them like each other!"  
  
" Making them admit it that they do will probably be far more difficult," countered Snape  
  
" Thats not my problem anymore. You and Remus have to devise a way in which to bring them together."  
  
" Its all very well for you to say Minerva! You could put them in a same class! How can I help it if Weasley is so good at Potions she doesnt need tutoring, so polite she doesnt need teaching and so on time that she cannot have detention?"  
  
Mcgonagall was openmouthed.  
  
" What is it?" Snape questioned irritably  
  
" You do realize that you just complimented a GRYFFINDOR dont you?"  
  
Snape looked astonished, then he rubbed his forehead.  
  
"This work is getting to me."  
  
" Talk to Remus, Im sure the two of you can figure something out together."  
  
Mcgonagall replied as she breezed out of the room, leaving Snape dismayed at the idea of working with an old enemy alone.  
  
Surprisingly it went far better than Snape expected. Lupin was sympathetic to Mcgonagalls don't care attitude and the two of them agreed that Women didnt know a thing about working together. This established, Lupin volunteered to be the next in his shot at bringing Draco and Ginny closer to each other.  
  
" I have a particular lesson that just might work" he replied, grinning slightly.  
  
" What is it?"  
  
" The force shield charm" Lupin replied.  
  
Snape frowned for a minute.  
  
" That sounds familiar, two people got stuck in it during our time. Wait it was a prank wasnt it? Someone made the shield, and another person went into it, unfortunately the person who performed the spell somehow found himself stuck in the shield as well! Who was that?"  
  
Lupin was very quiet for a second, he then muttered something inaudible.  
  
" Yes?"  
  
" I said, James and Lily Potter!"  
  
Snape was taken aback, then it came back to him. For some inexplicable reason, the school had been in a furore after this event. He certainly remembered that!  
  
" I remember."  
  
Lupin looked up, amazed.  
  
" You do?"  
  
" Hogwarts worst enemies were walking into the Great Hall holding hands! This was something even a boy usually buried in his books noticed."  
  
Lupin grinned.  
  
" Well all you have to do is tell Draco that he is in charge of a certain  
detention. Ill handle the rest."  
  
" Right."  
  
They parted ways, marveling at how they had cooperated with each other. Snape found it rather unnerving  
  
" Things will go back to normal the MOMENT this blasted problem gets solved." He muttered to himself as he walked to his office.  
  
The next morning Ginny and Draco both woke up feeling guilty. They had broken their resolve to avoid each other! This time however, it was going to work. No words were to be said and no emotions (in Dracos case) were to be displayed.  
  
Unfortunately, they had Lupin to contend with this time. He had sent a message to Binns that he needed Ginny for a quick errand during her History of Magic class.  
  
Binns asked Ginny to take a message to Lupin, and she made her way to the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom, curiously wondering what the message was, and why Binns had chosen her of all people. The moment she entered the classroom however, her stomach jumped, and her heart entered her throat.  
  
There, staring straight at her with an expression of confusion on his face, was Draco Malfoy. She cursed Binns for sending her, Lupin for demanding her, and Draco for looking so delicious.  
  
Lupin pretended to be engrossed in some papers on his desk, while he was actually observing the two of them.  
  
" Minervas right. You can cut the chemistry between them with a knife!"  
  
He then looked up and smiled.  
  
" Ginny! Just who we need."  
  
" Yes Professor?"  
  
" You see, the 7th years are performing a charm called the Force  
Shield charm, and Draco has no one to practice with. Do you mind  
volunteering?  
  
The corners of Ginnys mouth turned down. This was like some horrible nightmare! Why was it that no matter HOW hard she tried, she could not avoid him? She felt worse however, upon noting that she was actually happy to see him.  
  
Draco was staring at her, trying to absorb what Lupin was saying. Surely, surely he wasn't a partner with Weasel AGAIN? He narrowed his eyes. What exactly was going on? Why did he seem to be encountering her all over the place especially when he had decided to avoid her?  
  
" But Professor, I left my wand in the classroom" Ginny replied, trying to make an excuse.  
  
" Thats alright Ginny. You only need one wand to perform this spell. All you need to do is put your hand on Dracos wand as he says the spell, and get into the shield."  
  
Draco gritted his teeth. Lupin of course, made this out to be the easiest thing in the world, while actually it was more difficult than all his subjects combined!  
  
" Arithmancy included!" he thought to himself as he watched Ginny make her way towards him, her hands twisting into each other.  
  
***************************************************************** AN: Ok, Ill leave off here shall I? Sorry I couldnt put in any Colin, Harry, Ron or Hermoine in here. It's just that I felt like I should focus on the teacher's attempts to get them together. Next chapter will involve the actual performing of the charm, Snapes part to play in the game, and another plan made by all three of the teachers. It also features Harry putting the moves on a (resistant) Ginny, and Colin bailing her out as usual! 


	7. That Fateful Force Shield

AN: Alright, I'm just lost for words. When I checked my email today and read what all of you had to say in your reviews, I practically broke down in tears of happiness. I know that sounds cheesy, but thank you , thank you SO much for doing this. You have no idea how great it feels to know that so many people care about my fic, and its future. That particular review is now completely out of my mind, and you guys are the ones who helped that happen. Now, on with the fic, I'm pleased to see that the weird symbol thingys aren't appearing now, so I can write dialogue properly again. Hope all of you enjoy this.  
  
NOTE: I know I'm being a bit slow with the snogging, but I just want to make it worthwhile when I finally put it up ya know? Don't worry, its definitely coming up soon!  
  
As Ginny made her way across the room, Draco set his mouth in a grim line and decided to be completely disconnected. He wouldn't show any emotion, but he wouldn't be rude either. He would just ignore the Weasel's presence unless required to acknowledge her.  
  
Ginny walked towards Draco, growing perturbed as she came closer, noticing that his eyes stayed fixed on the desk in front of him. He didn't so much as look her way, even when she smiled! He seemed to be adamant on ignoring her. Ginny then felt a hot burst of anger. Her temper only alleviated when she realized that she was angry because she WANTED Draco's attention.  
  
" Alright. If that's the game he wants to play, I'll do the same." She  
muttered to herself.  
  
She then bent under the desk for a second to compose herself, and then resurfaced, her face a mask of casual boredom.  
  
Draco meanwhile had looked her way curiously when she slid under the table, the moment her head withdrew though, he whipped his gaze away from her and fixed it on the back of Goyle's head.  
  
Lupin had been avidly observing this scene play out before him. When he saw what the two of them were doing, he shook his head bitterly, thinking that it was just his luck to have to pair up the most stubborn students in Slytherin and Gryffindor.  
  
" They've decided to ignore each other I see. At least the good thing is  
that both of them seem to be angry about not being noticed. Well, this  
little act won't last for long, we'll see just how well they ignore each  
other when they have to perform this spell."  
  
So saying, Lupin turned around to face the class, pasting a fake smile  
of cheerfulness on his face.  
  
" Alright class, I presume you are ready to begin? Mr.Malfoy, if you  
would be so kind as to give Miss Weasley the instructions required, we  
will get started."  
  
Draco took a deep breath. He turned towards Ginny, who had a look of long suffering patience on her face. This irritated him, and when he spoke, he couldn't keep the tone of annoyance out of his voice.  
  
" You put one of your hands on my wand along with mine, and then I say  
the spell. Then you have to get into the shield so we can test it." He  
said shortly, pulling out his wand from his bag and laying on the table  
in front of them.  
  
Ginny didn't reply. She was determined not to say anything unless she had to. Draco was being his rude best, so there was no reason for her not to do the same.  
  
Draco polished his wand and snuck a look at Ginny. Although she had composed her features into the same expressionless mask that he often used, he saw a stubborn spark in her eyes. This was when he understood that Ginny had figured out what he was doing and had decided to emulate his reactions and fight "fire with fire."  
  
He was then surprised by a sudden twinge of regret that passed through him. While quashing this feeling, he decided that perhaps it was all the better for both of them to behave this way, because that would sort out any unresolved feelings. Not that there were any on his part, Draco hastily added.  
  
" Put your hand on the wand." Draco asked her curtly.  
  
Ginny shrugged and complied. Draco put his hand just above hers and recited the spell. Nothing happened. He tried again, twice, three times and there was no result.  
  
Lupin meanwhile had been trying to suppress a grin when he watched Draco's efforts to ignore Ginny and perform the spell at the same time. He couldn't wait to see the expressions on their faces when he told them what exactly they would have to do.  
  
" Mr. Malfoy, Ginny! This is not the way to perform the spell!"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and looked up at Lupin.  
  
" Then what is Professor?" she enquired, as politely as possible. Inwardly she was q still seething from Draco's behavior.  
  
Lupin smiled at the two of them and replied  
  
" You see, in order for the shield to be created, a large amount of  
energy is required. That is why you need two people to perform the  
spell together. ( He knew this from watching James perform it with  
Sirius) What you will need to do, is hold each other's hands, and  
interlace your fingers. Then put the wand in between and perform the  
spell."  
  
The expectations Lupin had built up about Ginny and Draco's faces were completely fulfilled. He had to turn away to suppress the guffaw that welled up in his throat when he saw the gamut of expressions run across their countenances.  
  
Ginny's face went from boredom to astonishment, then to exasperation and lastly to fright. Lupin also couldn't help but notice the slight flash of excitement that passed through her as well.  
  
Draco's expressions mirrored the redheads', however one of them made Lupin slightly wary. Instead of looking exasperated, Draco's face grew slightly suspicious and he threw the teacher an apprehensive glance.  
  
Upon noting this, Lupin gave them a quick "Good luck!" and hurried away back to his desk, where he pretended to be engrossed in a book, and silently watched the interaction between the two.  
  
Ginny's idea of ignoring Draco had completely broken down in the face of this latest task. She was now feeling extremely nervous and awkward.  
  
Draco had kept his eyes on the wand throughout Lupin's speech. He now looked up at Ginny and was gratified to see that she was as worried as he was.  
  
" Er, alright then" Draco mumbled, extending the wand to her.  
  
" Your hand" Ginny muttered back, pushing the wand to him.  
  
" Oh! Right."  
  
Draco then proceeded to extend his right hand to Ginny, who placed her left palm gently against his. They were barely touching, but that one brush of skin was enough. It was almost as though an invisible spark had flown when they touched hands, and the electric sensation that jolted down Ginny's spine caused her to withdraw her hand quickly. Draco had done the same, and for a moment they just looked at each other, silently analyzing what had happened.  
  
The feeling that had shot through Draco when he touched Ginny's hand was unlike any other. Even though the touch was brief, it was enough for him to feel the softness and warmth of her skin. He knew he wanted to hold her hand again, regardless of the spell. He decided to quickly get it over with, before anything more happened.  
  
" Its just physical, its just physical" Ginny was chanting to herself as she looked at her palm. Yet, try as she might she couldn't get the feeling of Draco's hand out of her head. His skin had been cool and smooth, and the bolt of shock that ran through her wasn't entirely unpleasant. She was surprised however to see Draco take a deep breath and then once again extend his hand to her.  
  
" Might as well get this over with." Ginny thought to herself, and met  
his right palm with hers, this time applying more pressure.  
  
Their fingers interlaced almost automatically, without command from their owners. Draco involuntarily pressed his fingers against hers and tightened his grip on her hand. When he did this, he felt her racing pulse and smiled ever so slightly. Ginny's eyes had fluttered shut of their own volition, and both of them found their breathing to be short and irregular.  
  
" Ginny, its just his hand against yours. Why are you getting so worked  
up?" Ginny questioned herself fiercely.  
  
The truth was, it wasn't just a hand, it was Draco's hand. The feel of his skin against her skin, his long slim fingers entertwined with her fingers and his tight but gentle grip on her hand sent sparks shooting down her arms and put butterflies in her stomach. Ginny bit her lip slightly and looked up into his face. Draco was looking down at their hands, his expression inscrutable.  
  
Draco was looking at his hand, linked with Ginny's. He came from a long line of artists and was quick to spot beauty or distinctive characteristics of any sort. There was something.. unique about the way their hands looked together, he admitted to himself. Ginny's hand was neither big nor small, with fingers of a medium length. Her skin was a creamy peach, with a slight tan giving it a golden tint. The littlest finger on her hand was dotted with a line of three freckles.  
  
Draco's hand was a little larger than hers, thus enveloping Ginny's compactly. His skin couldn't be called pale; it had a more luminous coloring to it. The tan and freckles of Ginny's hand contrasted with the flawless ivory of his own, and created an exceptional union.  
  
" Strange", Draco thought, " Why does my hand go so well with hers?"  
  
He was deep in contemplation, unaware that Ginny had been watching his reverie. There was just something about him when he was thinking, Ginny reflected to herself. His face softened almost imperceptibly and his gray eyes, which were usually so bright and clear, slowly clouded over, turning them a dark blue. It took her breath away, and she desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. But this would give away how she felt! So she decided to finish the spell.  
  
" Draco?"  
  
Draco snapped out of his thoughts and looked up straight into Ginny's face, their eyes met and he noted the curious look in hers. He instantly broke the eye contact, and took the wand with his free hand and slowly pushed it between their hands. This of course separated their skin, and it was Ginny's turn to smile when she saw the ghost of a frown on Draco's face.  
  
Holding Ginny's hand even tighter, Draco said the incantation. This time it worked, and a white glowing circle formed on the floor.  
  
" The shield is invisible," Lupin said, his eyes amusedly flicking to  
their hands, which were still joined.  
  
" Once you step into that circle, you are in the shield, and only this  
wand can bring you out. Ginny, please go inside."  
  
Ginny looked up at Lupin, her eyes wide with worry. What if something went wrong? Would she be stuck in there forever?  
  
" It's alright Ginny, nothing will happen." Lupin said, in a gentle tone.  
  
Ginny nodded, then started when she felt Draco's hand giving hers a comforting squeeze. She looked up at him, only to see him widen his eyes slightly and then look back down at their hands.  
  
Shit! Draco thought as he felt himself give Ginny's hand a squeeze. He'd forgotten they were still holding hands! She looked up at him and he immediately looked away, quickly loosening his hand from hers, feeling strangely incomplete as he did so.  
  
Ginny then stepped into the circle, with one last backward glance at him. They didn't seem to be separated, Ginny was still standing in front of him. But when Draco put his hand out to touch her, a strange force repelled him back.  
  
" Mr.Malfoy, I now want you to try and put a hex on Ginny." Draco looked  
up at Lupin sharply, and shook his head.  
  
" Come on Mr.Malfoy, if the shield works, it won't even touch her. Even  
if something goes wrong, it can be remedied."  
  
Draco looked at Ginny, who nodded at him. He then withdrew his wand and cast a Furnunculus hex. A light shot out from his wand and sped toward Ginny, who closed her eyes and braced herself. But it didn't hit her. When the hex reached close to Ginny something pushed it backwards and the light merely disappeared.  
  
" Very well done you two! It takes a lot of group work and interaction to be able to make this shield. The makers have to have a good relationship in order to do this." Lupin said, keenly looking at the two of them. When they heard the end of his sentence, Ginny and Draco looked up at each other and then looked away.  
  
" First time I've ever seen Malfoy look shy" Lupin mused to himself, as he asked Draco to get in as well.  
  
" But Professor, who can take Ginny out then?"  
  
Lupin smiled at his look of worry, also at the fact that he had said "Ginny."  
  
" Don't worry Draco, I will have your wand and be able to pull you both  
out. Trust me."  
  
" Trust." Draco disbelievingly muttered to himself, still looking  
doubtful. He then stepped toward the shield and suddenly found himself  
in it, almost pressed against Ginny. He leaned on the other side of the  
shield, feeling it widen when he pushed.  
  
" Professor, can you take us out now?" Ginny enquired.  
  
Lupin shook his head at them, his eyes twinkling.  
  
" I want to see how long this shield lasts." " Don't worry! I will take  
it out at the end of class." He hastily added, seeing the looks of  
dismay on their faces.  
  
" Till then, just sit in here and wait." He finished, walking away to  
inspect the rest of the Slytherins.  
  
Ginny slithered down her end of the shield and sat down, her knees drawn up to her chin. She wrapped her arms around her knees and looked up at Draco above them.  
  
" So" she said.  
  
" So?" he replied back, leaning casually against his side, his arms  
folded, one leg crossing over the other.  
  
They were silent for a minute. Draco then decided to needle her a bit.  
  
" You know Weasel, you say that you don't like Potter, but why is it  
that you lead him on?"  
  
Ginny gaped.  
  
" What do you mean lead him on? Of course I don't!"  
  
" Oh yes you do, Potter AND the rest of your fan following." Draco responded  
  
Ginny frowned in confusion and tried to quell her annoyance.  
  
" No I do NOT Malfoy, and I have no idea what you are talking about.  
What fan following?"  
  
" What fan following?" Draco thought to himself. Had she been hiding  
under a rock for the past few months?  
  
" You mean to say you really haven't noticed your ahem, trail of  
admirers?" Draco asked.  
  
" What trail of admirers? People have been nice to me, but that's only  
because of Ron!" Ginny snapped, not having a clue what he was referring  
to.  
  
How thick you could you get? Draco wondered to himself. Ginny was practically swamped on all sides by Hogwarts males, and she didn't notice? It then dawned on him.  
  
" You know Weasley, you seem to have a disturbing lack of self  
confidence. So low that it borders with the ground level."  
  
Ginny was furious now. Draco was behaving like a complete ass, and was talking to her in riddles. She HATED anything to do with "riddles" and answered with the first thing that came to her head.  
  
" I don't think I need lectures on self confidence from an ex- Death Eater thanks!"  
  
She then gasped when the full realization of what she had said dawned on her. Draco's face grew extremely angry, and he gritted his teeth.  
  
" Don't you dare, call me that again." He ground out, enunciating each  
word strongly.  
  
Ginny's temper flared again. Who was he to tell her what to do?  
  
" And just why not?" she asked mockingly, folding her arms, and looking  
up at him.  
  
" Because-" Draco was interrupted, by the shield suddenly being taken  
away. He fell backwards against a desk and groaned.  
  
" Hurry up! You two are a little bit late" Lupin announced, looking  
slightly guilty. The look Ginny turned on him was nothing short of  
murderous.  
  
" I have Potions next!" she squealed, dashing out of the room, grabbing  
her bag on the way.  
  
Draco, rubbing his head, watched her go and then looked up to see Lupin looking quizzically at him.  
  
" You always seem to be falling when your around her." He remarked  
casually, then upon realizing what he had just said, quickly turned  
around and walked back toward his desk. (A/N, Yes, Draco DOES remember  
Lupin saying this later on in the story)  
  
Draco's head hurt too much for him to puzzle over that comment. He got to his feet, wincing and made his way out of the classroom.  
  
The Potions class that followed was a nightmare for Ginny. Snape looked at the clock as she walked in and promptly informed her that she would have detention that night.  
  
" Scrubbing cauldrons is always an effective way to end tardiness Miss Weasley" Snape said spitefully, before going to berate a student about the state of their potion.  
  
Ginny sighed and buried her head in her hands. Her very first detention! On a FRIDAY night too!  
  
" Gin, you're never late! What happened?" Colin questioned.  
  
Ginny's reply was slightly muffled. All he caught were the words  
  
" Lupin, shield and Malfoy."  
  
She then pulled her head out of her arms and said  
  
" I'll tell you all the details at dinner Colin."  
  
Ginny then vented by brewing her Potion perfectly and enjoyed the expression on Snape's face when he inspected it and was forced to acknowledge that it was correct.  
  
" Ginny are you sure you feel alright?" Colin asked, slightly perturbed  
at finding his usually mild mannered friend look so angry.  
  
" No I'm not, what gave it away?" Ginny asked wryly.  
  
Colin took her at face value and answered seriously.  
  
" First of all, you've pulled all your hair to one side of your head and  
brought it over your right shoulder. There is also the large amount of  
fiddling your doing with the potions ingredients, and the last time you  
put so much effort into brewing a potion was when Draco Malfoy teased  
you about Harry asking Cho Chang to the Yule Ball."  
  
As he paused for breath, a sudden light dawned on his face.  
  
" This is about Malfoy isn't it Gin." Colin didn't even question, he stated it flatly.  
  
Ginny sighed, and cleared her throat. Just as she was about to tell Colin about what happened, she noticed Snape's eyes dart her way, so she opted for writing it instead. Scribbling furiously, she quickly told Colin what had transpired over the past week, excluding the part about her emotions. As it turned out, she needn't have done, because Colin knew her too well and figured out everything himself.  
  
" Do you have feelings for him?" Colin wrote in his customary scrawl  
  
" What? No! He's just a complete git!" Ginny wrote back indignantly  
  
" I see. Well, may I just point out that he wasn't a complete git when  
he protected you from Peeves, defended your honor and not to mention,  
gave you that rose! Ginny, from what I can tell, you don't seem to  
think so either." He finished, smiling slyly.  
  
Ginny sighed again and pouted slightly.  
  
" Alright. I will admit that Malfoy wasn't a git in all those  
situations, but today when I was with him in DADA class, he was  
completely cold. We got trapped in the shield and he was an absolute  
prick!"  
  
" Ginny, Malfoy behaved exceptionally nicely to you, and that's quite  
out of character for him. He probably realized this as well and is  
trying his best to suppress whatever feelings he has for you, the same  
way you are." Colin wrote back  
  
Ginny shook her head and chuckled.  
  
She then whispered,  
  
" Colin, that's rubbish. But I am curious about one thing. When we were  
stuck in the shield, he commented on my "fan following". I of course had  
no idea what he was talking about and threw something about being a ex-  
Death Eater at him. All of a sudden he got raging mad and asked me never  
to call him that again!"  
  
Colin rolled his eyes and tore out a fresh sheet of parchment, his hand whipping over the paper.  
  
" Ginny, by fan following he meant the bevy of delightful male specimens  
that are constantly on your trail, (providing me with excellent eye  
candy I might add). As for the Death Eater thing, no wonder he got  
furious, don't you know that he was on our side during the war?"  
  
Ginny's jaw dropped.  
  
" Our side? Was he really?" she wrote back in big capital letters.  
  
" Yes dear, he was. So he was justified in being 'raging mad' as you  
put it. Though tell me, just how angry was he? Did he pin you to the  
other side of the shield, hiss at your face, and then snog you  
senseless? Or did you slap him and in revenge he kissed you?"  
  
Colin was all-agog to know what had taken place.  
  
Ginny shook her head and rolled her eyes, her bottom lip curling.  
  
" Colin, all I can say is that you've been reading far too many of my  
romance novels! How many times have I told you that it is rather unseemly  
for a boy to enquire about passionate snog sessions? As for those, there  
were none. You seem to forget that this shield was invisible and we were  
in front of the entire DADA class."  
  
Colin had only one remark to write in exchange for this.  
  
" What I find quite interesting is that you don't give the impression  
that you don't WANT to indulge in a snogging session with Malfoy. I  
wouldn't blame you, he is absolutely edible!"  
  
Ginny frowned.  
  
" Maybe I haven't made myself clear, I DON'T like Malfoy. However edible  
I think he is," she conceded reluctantly  
  
" Alright Ginny, you keep telling yourself that," Colin patted her back  
as they got up, ready to go for dinner.  
  
At dinner Harry insisted on taking the seat next to Ginny, forcing Colin to sit next to Hermione instead of Seamus, like he'd planned.  
  
" Ginny, I haven't seen much of you lately" Harry said, as he poured a  
generous amount of gravy onto his plate.  
  
" Ah well, I've been working a lot Harry, you know Potions,  
Transfiguration all of that."  
  
" Speaking of which, how did Transfiguration with the Slytherins go? I  
heard you were partnered with Malfoy, bad luck."  
  
Ginny blushed slightly  
  
" Er yes, bad." She replied absentmindedly, too preoccupied with the  
face that Colin was making behind Harry's back. Ginny then burst into  
laughter at the spectacle before her.  
  
Colin had taken Hermione's fork and put it into his own hair, attempting to look coy and feminine. He pouted and batted his eyelashes at Ginny, causing her to giggle. She wasn't giggling at Colin however, it was the expression on Hermione's face that was causing her amusement. The poor boy didn't know that Hermione had turned to look for her fork and was gazing at him with a mixture of confusion and pity. When he realized that Hermione was looking at him Colin hastily stopped pouting, removed the fork from his hair and gave it back, laughing sheepishly.  
  
" A little off, that one." Hermione muttered to Ron through the side of her mouth.  
  
" Yep. That's why he's so perfect for Gin" Ron responded, shoveling  
potatoes in at a breakneck pace.  
  
" I heard that Ron!" Ginny called out.  
  
" Anyhow Ginny, since you've been cooped up with Malfoy all week, I'm  
sure you could use a rest."  
  
" Umm, what exactly do mean Harry?"  
  
Harry now turned slightly red and looked down at his lap.  
  
" I was wondering, maybe we could go to Hogsmeade together tonight?"  
  
He asked softly, looking up at her.  
  
Now it was true that Ginny didn't like Harry anymore. But there was something very endearing about his puppy dog expression, and she would probably have consented just to not hurt his feelings. Luckily, Colin came to the rescue.  
  
" She can't." Colin cut in  
  
" And just why not? Not going with you is she?" Harry bristled.  
  
" No, I'm going clubbing with Seamus," Colin paused to beam at the  
said person, " Ginny can't because she has detention."  
  
" Detention? With who? Maybe I can talk to them," Harry said, showing  
off a little. It was true. He exerted a large amount of influence over  
most of his teachers and could usually talk them out of disciplining  
others.  
  
" Snape." Colin replied, knowing that Snape was among the select few  
who disregarded Harry completely, grinning secretly at Ginny.  
  
" Trust that slimy git to ruin my good time!" Harry said, frowning.  
  
Ginny looked up at him indignantly  
  
" Your good time? I'm sorry, but I'm actually the one doing the detention here!"  
  
" Yes, but it's my good time being ruined because I'm deprived of your  
presence." Harry said, smiling.  
  
" Cheesy!" Colin coughed loudly.  
  
Ginny stifled a grin and replied,  
  
" I'm flattered Harry, but now if you'll excuse me, I must head off to  
the scintillating night of cauldron scrubbing that awaits me."  
  
With this she clapped Colin on the shoulder(her unspoken thanks) and walked out of the hall.  
  
When she got into Snape's classroom she looked around her. There didn't seem to be anyone in there.  
  
" Not YOU again!" Or maybe there was.  
  
Ginny whirled around when she heard this, and looked straight into a pair of gray eyes that were growing increasingly familiar.  
  
" Why are you here?" She asked, getting the cauldron cleaning fluids ready  
  
" Because Snape asked me to supervise this detention." Draco replied,  
sounding increasingly thoughtful.  
  
" Malfoy, about what happened in the DADA class" Ginny said, hesitating slightly.  
  
" Yes what about it?" Draco's guard was up and he sounded rather hostile.  
  
" I, I just wanted to apologize"  
  
" Oh."  
  
Ginny left Draco standing there, his mouth in a perfect O as she began her tedious night of cleaning.  
  
AN: Yep, this is getting to be a habit with me isn't it? Although I have a penchant for leaving off at the juicy part, I promise you, I will update pretty soon. My ideas are running amok and I can't wait to get them on screen. There is definitely more to this detention, and that's what the next chapter will be based on. A lot more conversation between Ginny and Draco. Many of you have emailed me asking me if they find out about the bet. Ginny doesn't have a clue what's going on, while Draco suspects something is. Neither of them have put two and two together yet however, and probably won't do so until I see fit(muahhaha and you don't know when that is, but you will). Till then..please continue with this great trend and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! 


	8. A little more conversation

AN: Whoo hoo! 156 reviews!!! Thanks a TON! I really hope that this process continues, and will do my best to satisfy your cravings(if you have any that is!). This chapter basically focuses on conversation. It is sort of like Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy's in the end of P&P(yes I'm obsessed), where they end up removing all their prejudices and misconceptions about each other. Enjoy it!  
  
Draco's jaw remained suspended as he stared at the redhead, now busily rubbing unknown substances off a cauldron surface. If Ginny noticed this, she was doing a glorious job of ignoring him and remaining calm, quite an effort when he looked as astonished as he did.  
  
His surprise finally translated itself into his voice and a question.  
  
" Why?"  
  
" Why what?" Ginny asked, looked up and meeting his questioning gaze.  
  
" Your apology, how did you know?" Draco asked  
  
" I thought you wanted to know WHY I apologized," Ginny teased, her  
eyes not leaving his.  
  
" Ginny, just tell me!" Draco snapped, unaware of the thrill he sent  
through her when he unwittingly used her name.  
  
Ginny sighed and proceeded on to the next cauldron,  
  
" I- er, told Colin about our little." Ginny cast around for a word as  
she scrubbed, " Discussion in the shield, and he informed me that you  
weren't a Death Eater."  
  
" Oh? And what else did he say?"  
  
" He said that you were on our side, and I was-"Ginny cut herself off  
at this point. She had already misjudged him, she didn't want to anger  
him further by telling him how she had received Colin's information.  
  
" Pretty damn surprised?" Draco finished for her, raising an eyebrow.  
  
" I suppose you could say that, yes." Did he know how sexy he looked  
when he did that? Ginny thought, growing flustered.  
  
" I'm quite sure that you are extremely confused at the moment." Draco  
drawled, he was really enjoying his position. He knew everything and  
Ginny didn't, and he was more than willing to tell her, but for some  
reason he wanted the curiosity to come from her.  
  
" What gives you that idea?" Ginny responded, scrubbing at the cauldron  
harder than ever.  
  
"Because you cleaned that cauldron ten minutes ago," Draco grinned.  
  
Ginny looked up at him, sick of playing games.  
  
" Alright Draco, I don't know what exactly you want me to tell you. I  
have no time for games, I have so much work to do!" she finished  
wearily, gesturing around her.  
  
Draco's look got serious. Without a second thought he withdrew his wand from his pocket and muttered a cleaning spell, in a second, all the cauldrons were gleaming. Ginny was delighted that he had done this, but couldn't help feeling a little guilty.  
  
" You weren't supposed to do that. How did you even know how?" she  
finished suspiciously.  
  
" Professor Snape happened to mention this to me when he put me in  
charge of the detention." Draco's face grew a little thoughtful, but  
he was soon distracted by Ginny straightening up and stretching. She  
then walked over to him and sat at a desk opposite him.  
  
" You do realize, that by doing that you've put yourself in a difficult  
position as well."  
  
" How?"  
  
" Well I suppose you were teasing me earlier to find out if I was  
curious. You wanted me to fess up that I was, so you could get an  
additional sense of power. However, by doing this you have proved that  
you actually are as eager to tell me your side of it, as I am to hear  
it." Ginny replied, her lips twitching slightly.  
  
Draco was dumbfounded. Was he honestly this easy to crack? And here he was thinking that he was a complex psychological puzzle! Next time he would really get her, he thought darkly to himself. Then he paused to consider whether he wanted a next time or not. An image of her stretching came to mind and Draco decided that he most certainly did. But in order to accomplish that, he had to clear the air between them.  
  
" You are absolutely correct." He acknowledged, smiling at Ginny's  
shocked expression. She couldn't believe that he admitted she was  
right!  
  
" Jokes aside however," he continued, the expression on his face growing serious,  
" Would you really like to hear my "side of it" as you put it?" Draco  
looked up into Ginny's face, sending the question through his mouth as  
well as his eyes.  
  
He got the answer he had been hoping for.  
  
" I would like nothing more" Ginny replied, her gaze not leaving his,  
although she looked a little abashed at her confession.  
  
" Alright, settle yourself, because this is a long story." Draco  
replied, leaning backward and resting against his desk.  
  
" We have all the time in the world. If I'm not mistaken, Snape only  
expects me back at midnight." Ginny leaned forward, her hand cupping  
her chin and fixed her eyes on Draco.  
  
" Fine. But...where do I begin?"  
  
" What made you not want to be a Death Eater in the first place? I  
mean, Harry did tell me that in your fifth year you announced that you  
had every intention of doing so."  
  
A muscle in Draco's jaw twitched at the mention of Potter. However, he let it slide.  
  
" A very good question Miss.Weasley" he said, in an uncanny imitation  
of Mcgonagall. Ginny smiled, and this caused our narrator a momentary  
distraction. However, he pulled himself together and continued on.  
  
" It is true that I wanted to become a Death Eater in my fifth year,  
but would you believe that the person who wanted that and me weren't  
the same?"  
  
" What exactly do you mean?"  
  
" My father." Malfoy grimaced and unconsciously clenched his fist, "  
Before I begun my schooling at Hogwarts, my father had formed the  
opinion that I was far too much like my mother for his liking. He  
would often berate me about it, but seeing as there was nothing he  
could do about it psychologically, he devised another way. Are you  
familiar with the Metamorphia Potion?"  
  
Ginny blinked, startled.  
  
" I've only heard it mentioned in passing. Isn't it illegal?"  
  
At this Draco smiled wryly.  
  
" Ginny this is Lucius Malfoy, what do you expect?" He shook his head.  
" Anyway, what the Metamorphia potion does is that it focuses on the  
bad traits of the taker. Say you were an overall angel, but had a  
secret fetish for shoes. Your good traits would usually outweigh this  
and it wouldn't come to anyone's attention. However, if you took the  
Meta potion, it would capitalize on this trait and give it so much  
power that all you would be able to do is go around ogling at people's  
feet."  
  
His explanation was humorous, but Ginny felt a small twinge as she got a vague idea of what Draco was trying to say.  
  
" So you're saying that when your father fed you the potion, it  
capitalized on the bad traits in you and caused them to outweigh the  
good ones?"  
  
" Precisely. My jealousy of Potter for example." Draco winced for a  
minute; he hated to admit this and he had no idea why he was, but there  
was some expression in Ginny's eyes that told him to confide in her, and  
for once he trusted his instincts.  
  
" I met him in Madam Malkin's shortly before my father begun to  
administer the potion. We didn't exactly click, and this is what gave  
my father the idea. Of course, the other flaws would be my temper and  
.insecurity."  
  
For a moment Ginny was gaping.  
  
" Insecurity? You? You certainly don't-"  
  
" Have you ever paused to wonder why I always tried to make life hell  
for Potter Ginny?  
  
" He's a Gryffindor, you're a Slytherin?"  
  
" Come on, it goes deeper than that. This year its for a different  
reason, I got to know him during the war and honestly didn't like his  
personality. But before that it was the potion acting through me,  
magnifying my jealousy of him to such an extent that I felt it my duty  
to make life miserable for him."  
  
" What about the whole Death Eater thing though?"  
  
" Well I never wanted to be a Death Eater in the first place. Yet, my  
fathers' approval was something I never got and was constantly seeking,  
thus my insecurity. The potion used this trait against me as well and  
made me desire to do anything he wished, which mainly consisted of  
getting promoted in Voldemort's ranks."  
  
When Draco finished, Ginny just stared at him for a moment. A lot of things that hadn't seemed quite right, now made sense to her. But she had one last query and blurted out what was on her mind.  
  
" Well how come you're still such a prat?"  
  
Upon this, Draco raised both his eyebrows.  
  
" Sometimes." Ginny added.  
  
Draco smirked now, leaning towards her.  
  
"What you see now is my real personality, I can understand why you would  
be confused, because the boy you used the Bat Bogey Hex on deserved it,  
and the person today, hopefully doesn't. I avoid Potter now because I  
don't want to pick fights, and I only decide to annoy the people who."  
Draco trailed off.  
  
" Who.." Ginny continued for him, meeting his eyes with her own.  
  
" Look good angry" He finished softly, watching Ginny's eyes widen as  
she pondered his statement.  
  
Ginny was puzzled. Wait, what was he trying to say here, that he annoyed her because he thought she looked good? Was he apologizing for what he had done in the past? Ginny decided that all these questions were too confusing and went for the humorous approach instead.  
  
" So you think Neville looks good when he loses his temper?" she questioned slyly.  
  
To her immense consternation, Draco burst out laughing. She was concerned because if she thought the smirk was attractive, it was nothing compared to his laugh. When Draco dimpled and laughed the way he did it honestly made Ginny want to grab his face and kiss him. These thoughts really shook her and she quickly looked away, hoping that he'd stop soon.  
  
" Thank Merlin he can't read my mind or he'd run away screaming!" she  
thought to herself as she turned back around to face him.  
  
" I'll keep this in mind the next time I pay you a compliment." Draco  
choked, as his mental pictures caused him further mirth.  
  
Before Ginny could let this comment register however, Draco continued on.  
  
" So basically what I'm saying is; No, I haven't had a complete  
personality transformation, no I'm not suddenly overwhelmed with love  
for your brother, potter or Granger, I just feel differently about  
certain things that I didn't before."  
  
" And the good traits in you are now being exposed because you're not  
taking the potion anymore." Ginny said.  
  
" Yes. When my father went to Azkaban at the end of my fifth year, I  
went down for a trip to the kitchens and saw one of the house elves  
pouring something into my dish. I confronted my mother about it and she  
was unable to keep it from me. It was lucky that I had the whole summer  
ahead of me. I felt quite lost without the potion and it frightened me  
to feel differently about so many things."  
  
" Such as.." Ginny prompted.  
  
Draco desperately wanted to say  
  
" The only female Weasley." But he quelled this and responded with  
  
" Well I used to think that Potions was my favorite subject because I  
was so good at it, and because my father encouraged it. I realized  
later that although Potions was easy, Defense against dark arts was  
the really the subject I appreciated."  
  
" You're good at that too." Ginny said softly, a shiver running down  
her back as Draco looked up at her and smiled slowly.  
  
" That's what made me decide to take this side during the war. Potter  
and the rest were rather surprised when I did so, but when they found  
that they could use my help, they soon accepted me. It was as if I was  
getting to know a lot of people for the first time, and all my initial  
ideas were removed. Your brothers were a source of constant amusement  
once they got used to me, and I really liked Bill, he seemed to  
understand my change of heart and lack of potion better than anyone  
else."  
  
" You knew my family?"  
  
Draco smiled. Hadn't she wondered just why he had stopped teasing her about the state of the Weasley finances? True he didn't feel the best of feelings toward Ron, but Arthur and Molly were extremely hospitable towards him during the war and he had gotten along really well with Ginny's brothers. In fact, the only feelings he had now were gratitude and respect. He was distracted from these thoughts by seeing a dawning light grow in Ginny's eyes.  
  
" So you were the help! Harry told me that they had received  
unexpected help, and that's what was helping them. No wonder my father  
doesn't curse the Malfoy name anymore."  
  
" I wouldn't blame him if he did. Your father is an excellent man  
Ginny, mine was a complete villain. Thank Merlin he's dead."  
  
Draco finished this last sentence with no expression whatsoever. Ginny closed her eyes and then opened them, conveying mute sympathy in her gaze. Draco knew that he had to conclude this by answering the last questions in her mind.  
  
" No Ginny, I'm not upset he's dead. It just hasn't fully sunken in  
yet, and the fact that I'm not upset is bothering me. I mean he was a  
bastard, but he was still my father, is it wrong for me not to regret  
his going?"  
  
Draco's tone was almost pleading, he needed some sort of reassurance, he didn't even know why.  
  
" Judging by what he's done to you Draco, I don't think it is." Ginny said slowly.  
  
Draco heaved a sigh of relief and then looked down at his shoes, he then looked back up at her.  
  
" So we understand each other then?" He asked tentatively  
  
Ginny gave a small half smile and extended her hand. He caught it up in his own and shook it  
  
" Yes we do. Truce." Ginny gave a full blown smile now.  
  
" Truce" Draco murmured back lazily, as he didn't relinquish his grip  
on her hand. Instead he brought it up to his face and gently grazed it  
with his lips, noting the light gasp Ginny gave in return. She closed  
her eyes, and when she opened them, he was gone.  
  
AN: Hmmm so this was the chapter. Please feel free to criticize, I know that some of my ideas are "out there" but in my head I just couldn't reconcile Rowling's Draco with the Draco in my fic. Do tell me what you think of my "Potion" idea in your reviews and expect some major fireworks in the next chapter. This is when Dumbledore announces the ball, the three teachers make their last plan and more. I promise to update really soon because I have only a few weeks left of vacation and need to finish this fic up before I start school. Till then, review, review review!!!!0 


	9. Action in the Astronomy tower

AN: Good heavens you lot! Pretty much every review I've received alternates between scolding me for not having snogging and begging me to have it in this chapter. As promised there are fireworks, and Dumbledore does announce. I just felt like writing this little contemplative sketch before the actual story begins, its instrumental in showing the reader that I'm trying really hard to make Ginny three dimensional. Pls don't think she's some sort of angsty freak who doesn't know how she feels, the fact is that if I was in her shoes I'd be going through major confusion and denial right now, so that's what I'm trying to get across. Don't worry, this chapter DEFINITELY has "happy bits"..Enjoy!  
  
The common room fire crackled and Ginny wrapped her dressing gown a little tighter around her as she gazed into its depths. She wasn't even cold, but the sensations and feelings running through her were so flurried that she needed some time to understand them. It was past midnight and only a few people were in the common room, working on late homework or cramming for tests.  
  
Hermione was sitting on Ron's lap and going over a list of particularly complicated ingredients for a Potions test that they had tomorrow. They weren't getting too far due to their lack of sleep and Hermione's eyes were drooping so much that she leaned back, rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep.  
  
Harry Potter, who was buried in a chair near the fireplace found himself unable to study because of the distracting sight he was presented with. He gazed at the youngest of the Weasley's, again wondering at how she had grown up. The firelight glowed against Ginny's face, changing her skin to gold and making her hair come alive. Her eyes were clouded over with the various thoughts that were flitting through her head and she paid no heed to those around her.  
  
Colin too watched his best friend with a careful eye while playing a chess game with Seamus. He could see all the boys in the room, even the ones who were taken, eyeing the redhead with avid curiosity and approval. Colin himself was concerned about Ginny's state. When she had come in after her detention her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were dark and confused. She hadn't said a word to anyone, just changed and quietly sat before the fire. He was dying to know what exactly had happened and what she was thinking.  
  
Ginny was pondering her feelings for Draco. His explanation about his previous actions was sinking in only now and she questioned herself agitatedly as to why she was so happy over it. Her mind replayed that brief kiss he had given her hand over and over again and it sent a shiver down her back each time. What confused Ginny the most however; was that impulsive desire she had felt to kiss him. Now she was starting to wonder about her earlier proclamations.  
  
WAS it truly "just physical" or was there something more to it? She began to ruminate over the fact that perhaps Draco's real personality was also endearing itself to her; whether his caustic comments, witty replies and intelligence were starting to mean just as much to her as his appearance did.  
  
What captivated her most were the unexpected moments where he revealed the thoughtful and chivalrous side of him, like when he presented her with that rose, or when he came to her defense. Ginny looked at her hand, which had been entwined with his several hours ago. She remembered subconsciously reflecting that her hand looked so much better clasped in Draco's than on its own.  
  
With all this reflection Ginny still wasn't sure what exactly she felt for Draco. She knew that there were traits about him that she admired, and she was well aware that she was attracted to him. But what was the feeling she had when she was around him? It didn't resemble anything that she had experienced before. She remembered that when she liked Harry she used to get shy and tongue tied whenever she was around him, spending her later years wondering what it would be like to run her hands through his thick locks and see him without his glasses. In due time most of this had worn off and Ginny was able to look back and laugh at her childish fantasies.  
  
Draco's case was entirely different. He brought out different sides of her. She pondered as to why this was so. He may have been a different person, but he was, after all a Malfoy. Still arrogant, still cynical and still as stubborn as herself. Did she really want to let herself fall for someone like that? She mused these questions as she slid between the bed sheets and shut her eyes. Ginny didn't realize that she already had.  
  
As usual Draco was thinking about the same things, and yet again, his reflections were far more to the point.  
  
" Alright, you definitely know that it's not about her looks anymore.  
It's not lust, its..." he stopped then, pondering as to what exactly it  
was.  
  
Did he love her? Surely not! He was a Malfoy, she was a Weasley, polar opposites was the term that came to mind when people attempted to describe them. In other words, they weren't supposed to love. Attracted to her? Yes, but he had been attracted to a lot of people hadn't he? What fascinated and confused him was this additional feeling he experienced. It was all very well to feel a tremendous urge to snog her senseless when Ginny's eyes flashed at him just so, but was it normal for a strange warmth to descend on him whenever he heard her voice?  
  
Draco was reciting all this out loud as he changed into his black silk pants, rifling through his wardrobe for a comfortable night shirt (NOTE: AN has currently passed out due to mental picture presented by above sentence) when he couldn't find one, he simply put on a pair of socks and flopped onto his bed, still talking out loud. His debate was interrupted by a dark and tousled head lifting itself from a nearby bed and its owner shaking his fist at him.  
  
" Drake, we all know that you fantasize about Mcgonagall, but can you  
please do it quietly?" Blaise implored sleepily, as he turned over and  
pulled his sheets over his head, more a defense mechanism than a method  
of comfort.  
  
The brunette had been right to do this as he soon found himself smothered by the stack of pillows Draco hurled at him in response. However this humorous interlude ended Draco's period of contemplation, he stretched, turned on his side and was immediately asleep, despite the disturbing realization that Ginny was the first thing he saw when he closed his eyes.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
The sunlight that filtered through the Hogwarts windows was greeted in different ways by its recipients. Most of them simply grunted and pushed themselves out of bed, however there were two individuals who reacted to it in distinctive fashion. One was a redhead in the Gryffindor tower who realized that another day had dawned, another day of facing someone she was unsure about and resisting Harry's increasing advances.  
  
Ginny gave a nervous giggle that burst into hysterical laughter. Her roommates simply looked at her and shook their heads. After rooming with her for four years(1 taken out to exclude the war) they were used to it by now.  
  
Thankfully these fits didn't come over Ginny often, but when they did, they could successfully assume that their peace would be ruthlessly disrupted. So now when they knew they were having a particularly trying round of tests the next day, most of the girls in the dorm took the precaution of plugging their ears in advance. They weren't warned this morning and Lavender Brown wondered while wincing, what exactly it was that caused Ginny to behave in the high strung fashion she usually reserved for Potions pop quizzes.  
  
Colin who had stepped out into the common room could also hear her. He knew then that it was not a test, but Draco that was on her mind. Slumping back in a chair he waited for Ginny to show up so that he could demand an explanation.  
  
Meanwhile on the other side of the castle, a certain Slytherin was rolling around in his bed, uttering creative combinations of swear words. They were mostly directed at blinds, curtains and the "stupid arses" that actually opened the windows. He too realized that he would have to bear the results of last night's confession, as well as restrain himself from not grabbing hold of the weasel in a lonely corridor and kissing her like his life depended on it.  
  
Breakfast was a boring affair. Colin tried to position himself between Ginny and Harry, but the latter beat him to it yet again. However both parties were too tired to resist and make moves (respectively) this morning. This was because Harry had sat up most of the previous night jamming his memory with Potions ingredients and wistfully looking at his parent's wedding photos, while Ginny's thoughts had been full of white roses and shield spells.  
  
Colin didn't say very much to her, he contented himself with observing that a certain light seemed to enter her eyes the moment a tired looking blonde floundered into the hall and plonked himself at his table.  
  
At the other end, Blaise Zabini also noticed that although his friend looked like " walking hell", his tired eyes immediately grew alert and wide when his gaze fell upon Ron Weasley's youngest sister. Blaise started! Weasley's sister? So that's who Malfoy had been losing sleep over last night.  
  
No wonder too, she was a real looker, but hadn't Malfoy said it went beyond looks? Now Draco's friend's curiosity was well and truly stoked and he decided to watch his friend very carefully. To his amusement, he saw that Creevey was doing the very same to the redhead.  
  
" You know if the subtle attempt is what you're aiming at, its not  
really a good job. Anyone with half a brain can see you ogling him!"  
  
Colin whispered to Ginny who turned around, her face sheepish.  
  
" Is it really that obvious?"  
  
" Quite. But it seems as though no one but myself and that Zabini chap  
over there have noticed. Not to worry though Gin, he's not doing the  
most adequate job of hiding his stares either."  
  
" He's, He's looking?"  
  
" My goodness Ginny Weasley, I think that you would have noticed in  
the process of gazing at him that he's gazing right back at you!"  
  
" He is?"  
  
" Oh you silly girl, just look at him! He's buttered both sides of his  
toast and has yet to notice that Goyle's eaten all his eggs because  
he's so busy glancing in your direction! Honestly, I'm tired of this  
dallying around. Why don't the two of you just act on your feelings  
already?"  
  
Ginny was about to respond when a booming voice rang throughout the hall. Several students winced. Last night had been a Friday and more than a few of them had spent quality time in a Hogsmeade pub, or with a bottle of Ogden's. Now they were suffering the effects and Dumbledore's vociferous tone was doing little for their already aching heads.  
  
" I have an announcement to make."  
  
An announcement in the middle of the year? What was so important?  
  
A whisper flew around that perhaps Voldemort had risen again. When Harry heard this his face turned ashen. However Hermione leaned over and whispered  
  
" It can't be. Why is Hagrid grinning like that?"  
  
Ginny looked at Hagrid, he really was beaming! Then Dumbledore proceeded to talk, describing an upcoming event called the "Flobberworm Fest." Ginny's head snapped up. Had Dumbledore just said Flobberworms? Judging by the chorus of groans that seemed to emanate from her table, he had. Apparently Hagrid was having some sort of large lecture on them and he wanted to teach the students even more about their care.  
  
There were to be different sections and each teacher was in charge of a different section. Ginny noted that the teachers weren't looking too pleased about it either. It was only when Dumbledore mentioned that there was a dance to be held prior to this event that others took notice. Unfortunately Harry was one of them and his eyes immediately snapped in her direction, along with several others. Colin smiled grimly, he could already tell that his friend was going to be besieged by offers and he would have to whisk her out of the way as soon as Dumbledore was done.  
  
Draco was having his fair share of qualms. He didn't mind the dance, but he did have his issues about having to look at that oaf's Flobberworms. Suddenly he noticed that Pansy was staring at him and realized with growing horror that she probably meant to ask him to the dance. He quickly whispered this to Blaise who patted his back and guaranteed that he would be able to cover for him as he made his escape.  
  
When Dumbledore finished Colin began to tug on Ginny's arm as he saw several male students rise out of their chairs and slowly make their way to the Gryffindor table.  
  
" Come on Gin, lets get out of here."  
  
Ginny was just about to leave when Harry caught her arm.  
  
" Ginny!"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
" Will you umm, go to the dance with me?" when he said this, a  
collective growl of disappointment rose through the male wave that was  
near Ginny and most of them made their way out of the hall.  
  
Ginny was trapped. She didn't want to go with Harry, but if she said no, she would have to go with someone else instead. When she thought of the other boys she decided that she didn't want to go with any of them. Unwittingly a picture of Draco rose in her mind, but she immediately quelled it insisting that he wouldn't think to ask her. So she looked at Harry, wondering what exactly she should say.  
  
" Can I have some time to think about it?"  
  
Harry smiled, letting go of her hand.  
  
"Sure, just tell me when you've decided."  
  
Draco, who had been watching this exchange, cornered a Gryffindor first year in the hall. Ignoring the shaking of the boy's knees, Draco addressed him evenly and slightly threateningly.  
  
" Is Ginny Weasley going with Harry Potter to the Ball?"  
  
" I don't see how it's any of your business." Squeaked the Gryffindor.  
Draco's eyes narrowed and he knelt down so he was eye level with the  
boy, who was now cowering in fear. To his surprise, Draco spoke in a  
reasonably friendly tone.  
  
" Look, I really want to know alright. I don't mean any harm."  
  
The bell rang, and the first year decided that he was late to class anyway so he might as well tell him.  
  
" She said that she would think about it." He said and trotted off to  
his next class, leaving Draco with a pensive expression on his face.  
  
Later on in Potions Draco and Blaise were partnered together and he seized this opportunity to get clarification.  
  
" Blaise, when you ask a girl out or something, what does it mean  
when she says she'll think about it?"  
  
Blaise stifled a laugh. He knew just why Draco was asking him this question, but pretended not to.  
  
" Well its either because she's so proud that she thinks your below  
her or she's wondering about whether she'll get a better offer."  
  
" What do you mean, a better offer?"  
  
" I mean that maybe she's ok about going with you, but she'd rather go  
with someone she really likes."  
  
" Oh."  
  
" Why Draco? Pansy turn you down for a change?"  
  
Draco ignored this. His attention was caught by something else. Potter and Weasley were working opposite him and he noticed something very familiar about Ron's hand. His gaze shifted to his little finger, and there they were! That same row of three freckles, in the exact same spot as Ginny's! But the middle freckle on Ron's finger was rather faded. Infact it was so light that you could barely see it was there, while all three of Ginny's freckles stood out against her skin.  
  
Suddenly a memory flashed back in Draco's head. He was lying on the ground, unable to get up due to the painful spell that had been cast on him during the fight. Bill Weasley ran by him and extended his hand out to Draco, who caught it and pulled himself up. He remembered that Bill had also had the three freckles, but the middle one on his had vanished completely.  
  
"Draco! Draco!" Blaise's voice jolted him back to his senses.  
  
" Class has ended, lets go."  
  
In a daze Draco picked up his things and walked out of the classroom, wondering what it all meant. He only brightened up when he remembered that tomorrow was a Monday. Draco loved Mondays.  
  
" Malfoy loves Mondays!" Snape huffed as he burst into the staffroom,  
eliciting disapproving stares from the other team and a glare from  
Mcgonagall who didn't want their strategy to be revealed.  
  
" Typical Slytherin characteristic, liking the gloomiest and most  
troublesome days of the week." Mcgonagall observed gloomily as Snape  
took his seat and glowered at her.  
  
" Why exactly does he like Mondays?" Lupin questioned mildly.  
  
Snape winced and then shook his head.  
  
" Maybe I shouldn't tell you. It might just ruin his image."  
  
" Why? As long as he's not a closet drag queen nothing would ruin his  
image." Mcgonagall replied.  
  
" My, my, why the snappy mood Minerva?"  
  
Mcgonagall sighed.  
  
" I just want to bring those two together. This process is far harder  
than we had thought and so far none of the things we've done have  
worked. Sure they understand each other, but have they snogged?"  
  
Unfortunately this was said rather loudly and drew quizzical gazes from the others in the room. Mcgonagall turned red and subsided into silence.  
  
" Look, this is our last chance. From what I understand Flitwick has  
been wracking his brains trying to bring Abbot and Terry Boot together.  
Lets just give this a try shall we? We'll start with Severus telling us  
just why Malfoy likes Mondays," said Lupin in a low voice.  
  
Snape shifted uneasily in his chair.  
  
" Malfoy is ermmm fond of only three subjects. Potions, Defense  
Against Dark Arts and...Astronomy."  
  
" So what about it?"  
  
" Ahem. Well, the thing is, you see, what I mean is that..."  
  
" Severus, just get to the point!"  
  
" Fine! Malfoy spends his Monday evenings star gazing in the Astronomy  
tower."  
  
Mcgonagall and Lupin were dumbstruck for a minute, and then burst into hoots of laughter.  
  
" Malfoy? Draco Malfoy! Slytherin's ideal student, secretly star  
gazes! So they do have a sensitive side after all Is there anything  
else you want to tell us Severus? Such as how you secretly send  
flowers to Madam Rosmerta every Sunday?" Lupin guffawed, rolling in  
his chair and holding his stomach.  
  
Snape shook his head frustratedly.  
  
" See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. Anyway I don't see how  
it's going to be of use to us in any way."  
  
At this Mcgonagall sat up straight, wiping her eyes.  
  
" No I think it will be. Because Monday happens to be an important  
night for Ms.Weasley as well."  
  
" Why?"  
  
Mcgonagall smiled slyly,  
  
" Prefect Patrol."  
  
Ginny tuned out the chatter around her, which mainly consisted of dresses and dance partners. She was anxiously reading the note Professor Mcgonagall had just sent her.  
  
" Ms. Weasley,  
  
As you know, tonight is your night for patrol. The faculty has decided  
that an exceptional amount of trouble is caused by students sneaking  
to the Astronomy tower (which is out of bounds) for various  
activities. This will be the area you need to monitor tonight and  
please issue detention to whoever you catch.  
  
Professor Mcgonagall."  
  
Ginny flinched. Why did it have to be Astronomy Tower? She knew very well about the "activities" that went on there and she would have to interrupt and even witness them! Blanching, Ginny decided to take Harry's cloak so that she could have some discretion; therefore saving herself from going blind and acquiring the status of "most hated Prefect" in the matter of one night.  
  
As she made her way down the halls she couldn't help but wonder what she should say to Harry. The weekend had quickly passed by and the dance was tomorrow! She knew that she'd have to give Harry a definite answer by then. He'd been asking her about it everyday but she somehow managed to avoid him. Ginny wondered just why she hadn't said yes yet, could it be that she was holding out in hopes of "someone else" asking her? This was exactly what Colin thought, but Ginny wasn't completely sure.  
  
" Pansy's probably bagged him already, that pug!" she muttered to  
herself, feeling a bit surprised at her own jealousy and emotion.  
  
When she snuck into the Astronomy tower she was relieved to see that no one was doing anything in there. Ginny was about to leave when she noticed that someone was sitting right in front of the window. She crept up behind them and attempted to see their face, and suddenly the person turned around, causing Ginny to catch her breath sharply. It was none other than Draco! He'd been haunting her thoughts lately and for a split second she wondered if she was hallucinating, but no, he was right there in front of her. She sighed softly with relief when she realized that he couldn't see her and he turned back and resumed gazing in front of him.  
  
Ginny quietly sat by his side and watched him. Never had she felt more for him than she did now. Draco was almost godly looking, the moonlight filtering in through the windows giving his hair and skin an ethereal glow. The expression on his face only complimented him further; with a hint of a thoughtful frown on his brow and the whimsical upward curve of his mouth. He was clearly lost in thought, focusing intensely on the constellations in front of him.  
  
Wondering whether his eyes had changed color again, Ginny was craning her neck to see what they looked like now when he suddenly turned around and their eyes met. Ginny bit back a gasp when she observed that his eyes weren't their usual shade of gray-blue, instead a hazy silver green. She held his gaze, transfixed, not pausing to wonder just why he should be staring so hard at what appeared to be "thin air."  
  
The fact is, Draco had felt someone's presence around him the moment Ginny entered the room. He had given up on observing constellations for the night because his thoughts were full of the redhead and he couldn't stop wondering about whether she'd consented to Potter. When he heard the slight noise behind him, he'd turned around, not seeing anyone there. Draco turned back and resumed his thought process when he felt something brush against him, he turned sharply and there in front of him was the very girl he was brooding about.  
  
At first, Draco, like Ginny had previously, wondered if he was hallucinating. But he soon realized that he wasn't, and that she was staring right back at him. He wondered just why she was here and he realized that it was probably her night for Patrol. But why was she staring at him like that? It was almost as if she thought he couldn't see her he thought idly, enraptured by the slight half smile that played on her lips.  
  
Draco realized with a start that she did think that! He looked below her face and realized that her body was invisible from the shoulders down. Her cloak must have fallen off and she didn't realize it.  
  
Ginny had been staring at him and felt as though she was drowning in the depths of his eyes. She desperately wanted to kiss him, to feel his skin against hers again. She argued with herself that he wouldn't notice, he would just feel a light brush against his lips, but since he couldn't see her, nothing much would result from it. With this resolve, she leaned towards him and lightly brushed her lips with his.  
  
When Draco mentally pinched himself to ascertain that he was indeed kissing the girl he had been pining for, he quickly began to kiss her back. When Ginny tried to pull away, she experienced a jolt of shock as Draco brought his hands up and gently cupped her face towards him, kissing her back.  
  
Many realizations were hitting her at once. He had seen her! He could see her! What was he going to think! However most of these thoughts petered out of her head once she felt the smooth warmth of Draco's lips against hers, and the touch of his hands against her cheeks. It was oh so sweet and surreal, the fact that she was finally kissing the person she had been dreaming about for most of the year. The sensations coursing through her defied description or explanation- all she knew was that this kiss put most of her dreams to shame and at no cost should Draco's lips be separated from hers.  
  
Ginny leaned into the kiss, slowly wrapping her arms about his firm shoulders , when Draco pulled away. His breath was ragged and he looked into her dark eyes and realized that she had wanted this as much as he did and perhaps felt the same way. He allowed a slight smirk to form on his face as he slid his hands down her neck and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her much closer to him, inhaling that beloved, familiar scent.  
  
" You know that your cloak fell off a while ago right?" He murmured  
while kissing her gently on her cheeks, her eyes and her lower lip,  
observing that her skin was as soft as he had imagined it to be.  
  
" Now I do" was all Ginny managed to mutter hoarsely before pulling his  
lips back to hers and they kissed again, bathed in the shimmering glow  
of the moonlight, relishing the feeling of finally being with each other  
the way they wanted to be.  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
AN: Ta daaaaaaa! Now you got your kissing scene. Don't worry, it doesn't end here, its going to be continued in the next chapter. But don't make the assumption that it goes any further, I'm just not comfortable writing smut stuff I guess. The intense kissing might come later, I wanted their first kiss to be " sweet and surreal" just like I said. Preparations for the ball are up next and there will be some stuff with the teachers. REVIEWWWWW, please take the number up to 200, I promise to update soon and please do tell me what you thought about the "romance scene" -its my very first and if I could use some feedback. Till next time! 


	10. Flitwick was singing, he thought he was ...

AN: Ok..where do I begin? I guess with the sentence " truly amazingly desperately sorry?" yeah that sounds pretty good. Anyway, It is a commonly used excuse, but I was honestly so embroiled in sophmore year that even having time to READ a fic became a challenge! However, your constant reviews made me feel really bad, and when I kept checking this other author's fic to see if they had updated (and they still haven't!) I realized just how annoying it must be for those of you who like this fic enough to keep track of it. I want to get this fic over and done with and perhaps work on a H/G type thing(no I haven't converted..I just want to experiment w/the ship) but Gamble of Love will always be my baby. Soo..to all you faithful and fantastic reviewers, belated merry Christmas, and early happy new year! Oh and I updated my bio. Last note, also put up a little H/G ficlet for those of you who are interested. ************************************************************************  
  
Despite dating Michael Corner and pseudo dating Dean Thomas (more a ploy to annoy Ron than anything else), Ginny had never actually kissed either one properly. With Michael they had only just passed on from holding hands to kissing cheeks, when he left her for Cho. Upon reflection, Ginny realized that perhaps he left her due to "frustration" because they were moving a little bit too slowly for his liking, and Cho had apparently kissed Harry without even DATING him to begin with! Hussy!  
  
Ginny mentally shoved these thoughts out of her head as she continued to kiss Draco. She had read in so many romances that your mind was supposed to go completely blank the moment you were kissed, and that when you were only aware of the person kissing you, everything else would blur. On the contrary in her case, she was very aware of the warmth of Draco's smooth neck, the feel of her legs curled up against him, his strong arms wrapped securely around her.  
  
Her stubborn thoughts snuck into her head again, and Ginny realized as she moved closer still to Draco, that if he even took this kiss a little bit further, all thoughts of chasteness, going slow and relationships would exit her head. With this in mind, she decided to pull away, but couldn't bring herself to. When Draco finally did, she looked up at him startled.  
  
" Brilliant! I knew I'd do SOMETHING wrong!" she mentally berated herself.  
  
Draco meanwhile knew that he had to pull away before he practically glued himself to Ginny, or took the kiss any further. He smiled upon noting the expression on her face, but couldn't bring himself to say anything coherent. For a second they just sat there, their legs touching, his arms still around her, wondering how their relationship had just suddenly been turned around. Ginny's prefect badge suddenly started buzzing, and slowly, reluctantly, she rose up out of his embrace.  
  
" I, I er- have to go"  
  
" I know."  
  
" So um, I suppose I'll... see you around then."  
  
" Yes, yes you will. Oh and Ginny?"  
  
" Yes?"  
  
" I won't get a detention for this will I?"  
  
" No Draco. Well by-"  
  
" Ginny wait! Are you going to the ball with Potter?"  
  
At this Ginny frowned indignantly. Either Draco Malfoy was completely insecure, or a complete prat. How the hell could she sit there kissing him if she was going to the ball with Harry? She opened her mouth to tell him this, when some sort of demon seized her and she opted to raise her eyebrow instead.  
  
" What do you think?" She asked, now experimenting with a smirk.  
  
Draco had to bite his lip to stifle the grin that wanted to form across his face. That girl had guts! Mimicking his style! Oh well, time to let her know what she was dealing with.  
  
" I think.." Draco drawled, then trailed off as he made his way toward her with a sexy smile on his face,  
  
" I think.." he breathed again as he reached her and looked into her darkening eyes, his hand reaching out to cup her face gently.  
  
" Yes?" Ginny practically squeaked, his closeness wreaking havoc with her nerves.  
  
Draco leaned in as if he was about to kiss her, and then pushed a soft piece of fabric into her hands.  
  
" I think you were going to leave behind Potter's invisibility cloak."  
  
" Oh!" Ginny said, disappointed and frowning slightly.  
  
" Well Thanks, I better get going."  
  
" No problem, oh and one last thing Gin"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and turned around for the third time.  
  
" I'm Gin now am I? What is it this time Malf-"  
  
He cut her off this time by once again placing his lips on hers, and she let her words out in a sigh as she kissed back. Seconds later, Draco pulled away, smiling a genuine smile this time.  
  
" Goodnight." He whispered, and practically shot off in the other direction.  
  
" Goodnight.." Ginny called to the breeze, touching her lips, and then her insistently buzzing Prefect badge, and making her way to the staffroom.  
  
Once she got there, she was in such a daze that she didn't notice the intent looks directed at her. Or the fact that Lupin, Snape and Mcgonagall were all sitting unusually close to each other. All Ginny wanted to do was get back to her room, sneak past Harry, and dream of Draco. After signing out with Professor Mcgonagall, she floated out, her hand to her lips.  
  
The three teachers faced each other once Ginny had walked out.  
  
" Well, I suppose we can assume that something has happened." Lupin started out timidly, searching for the right words.  
  
" Of course we can assume! It seems as though Ms. Weasley and Malfoy have definitely furthered their relationship a little bit." Responded Professor Mcgonagall crisply.  
  
" That's all bloody great. But I'm frankly quite sick of losing sleep over this stupid ball! I mean if Hagrid wants us to tend to his Flobberworms, there's only so much we can do about it. The ball is tomorrow, and after all our efforts, all Weasley and Draco have managed to do is snog!"  
  
" Severus! Do watch your language! Anyhow, what were you expecting them to do?"  
  
Snape didn't respond, he just looked at her. Mcgonagall finally caught on and muttered "men!" under her breath as she gathered her things.  
  
At this moment they were interrupted by a burst of song.  
  
" Deck the halls with bows of holly hufflepuff la la la la la la"  
  
They all winced as the shrillness was intensified, and a new voice joint in.  
  
" Tis the season to be jolly ravenclaw and hufflepuff are going to the dance!"  
  
" Sing we now our Christmas carol, Ravenclaw, hufflepuff, Ravenclaw!"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!" Severus, who was secretly suffering a frightful hangover, and overcome with disappointment, waved his wand threateningly at them.  
  
Flitwick and his team stopped dead in their tracks, staring up frightened at the Potions master, who was after all, quite talented in the dark arts.  
  
"I. Have had. Enough. I will just sit through the stupid Flobberworm Fest if that's what it takes to escape this kind of racket. Oh and Flitwick? Congratulations."  
  
With this, Snape swept out of the room, more upset than he would care to admit, leaving a strangely bereft pair of teachers in his wake.  
  
Lupin and Mcgonagall parted ways resignedly, shaking hands and mumbling about what a pleasure it was to work with each other, and vice versa.  
  
While Ginny Weasley went contentedly to sleep, 3 teachers were also trying to unsuccessfully accomplish the same. However, the feeling of disappointment just wouldn't wane. Harry Potter was undergoing the same trauma as he remembered Ginny's flushed face and reddened lips when she handed him back his cloak.  
  
Harry hadn't wanted to notice it before, but now he knew that Ginny Weasley was most certainly over him. Curiosity over who was responsible for her condition was equivalent to the jealousy he was feeling. Swearing silently, he sat up in bed and looked at Ron, who was snoring and suddenly muttered some intelligible, which sounded distinctly like "Hermione."  
  
Harry grinned sadly as he looked at his slumbering friend.  
  
" At least some things still remain the same." Was the last thing he thought before going to bed.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
No one went down to breakfast the next morning. Most of the girls were busy preparing their dress robes for the ball, and the boys were fretting over who to ask for their date. Ginny hadn't placed much importance on what to wear before, but now she felt a sudden need to look good. Good for Draco.  
  
Although the Weasley family had come into sufficient amounts of money after the war, Ginny still wasn't used to picking out expensive dress robes that suited her. She had only one thing left to do. Call in the experts.  
  
" Hermione! Help me, help me, help me! I have no ruddy thing to wear for this ball tonight."  
  
Her brown haired friend simply grinned, and stepped aside. Lying on Ginny's bed were the most exquisite robes of pale, shimmering green.  
  
" What? How?"  
  
" I already knew you'd be stressing over this Gin, so I owled your mum in advance about the ball. We went and bought the fabric at Hogsmeade and Parvati had it styled in the way it would best suit you."  
  
Ginny was lost for words, and extremely thankful that at least someone she knew was this practical.  
  
" Oh Hermione, what would I do without you?" She muttered, half thankfully, half tearfully, and gave her friend a bear hug.  
  
Hermione grinned and hugged her back before pulling away and asking her to try it on quickly before they were late for class.  
  
" Oh yes, God forbid that Professor Binns has to start History of Magic without me." Ginny called out as she pulled the robes over her shoulders, and then turned around to face the mirror and gave a shocked gasp.  
  
Hermione pulled the curtain aside and gave a gasp of her own.  
  
" They're so low cut!"  
  
" Ginny you look amazing!"  
  
These remarks escaped at the same time. Hermione smiled slightly at Ginny's embarrassment and adjusted the robes slightly.  
  
" Look Ginny, this is a style. Trust me, they are incredibly flattering. No boy will be able to keep his eyes off you tonight."  
  
Hermione noticed that after this statement, Ginny turned rather compliant and docilely helped Hermione pick out accessories and shoes for the outfit before walking to her classes.  
  
The wheels were already turning in our brilliant witch's head as she watched Ginny amble off to class.  
  
" Ginny's never been particularly keen to have anyone notice her before! God knows, she doesn't really need those robes to have boys look at her. Why the sudden happiness that the robes were green? Who does she want to notice them?"  
  
Lost in thought, Hermione collided with someone who appeared to be walking backwards, staring at something behind him.  
  
" Malfoy!"  
  
" Sorry er..Granger" he muttered in a daze, and kept walking, his hand now massaging his forehead as he shook his head from side to side.  
  
Hermione couldn't help but notice that it was completely out of character for Draco Malfoy to be so absent minded. She wondered what he had been staring at so intently, and turned around to see, when her jaw dropped with shock.  
  
Ginny was the only other person in the corridor, and she was still walking along to her class. Suddenly, it all made sense, and Hermione was absolutely flabbergasted by her discovery. She remained in a state of shock even in Charms, as she slid into the side beside Ron.  
  
" Something wrong Mione?"  
  
" Nothing. Nothing at all." She mumbled, not even paying attention. Which was definitely a first.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
AN: Alright! So there you have it. Plenty of D/G interaction, teacher interaction (NO there is NOT a love triangle between Mcgonagall, Snape and Lupin. Gross.) and Hermione interaction. Ever since reading all thos Harry Ginny fics, I guess I've started to feel a little more sympathetic to him, and decided to make him less of a cocky arse in this story. Don't worry, things definitely look up for the teacher trio, because there is more to the Hufflepuff Ravenclaw pairing, and the Flobberworm fest than you think! I would laugh mysteriously, but seeing how that turned out for Mcgonagall, I'd rather not. Now all you reviewers, you know what to do! Review review review! (Oh and go and constantly bug Serendipity, Draigonfire and NotSmith to update their fics.) 


	11. Revelations

AN: no more patter. just the story. A couple more chaps and this odyssey will come to an end. sniff.  
  
Hermione ate her lunch slowly and carefully, filtering out Harry and Ron's chatter about Quid ditch, and attempting to focus all her attention on Ginny. She was teasing Colin about something (as usual), and giggling away. Then Seamus cut in with a dry remark that made both of them slap their hands to their mouths, which proceeded to give way to stifled grins, and then shocked laughter. Finally Ginny threw her head back and let loose, her laugh pealing around the table, and so infectious, that Hermione couldn't help smiling too.  
  
There was no one like her, really, Hermione thought, shaking her head in amusement. Ginny was the only person she knew, who had the temper of a devil, but the temperament of an angel. She was about to turn back to her book, when something caught her eye. Ginny had stopped laughing, and was staring at something. Before Hermione could tell what it was, she flushed pink, smiled wide, and darted out of the hall.  
  
Draco Malfoy had been having a relatively normal lunch, which was something considering the confusion he'd usually undergo, at having the redhead sitting across from him. Today, the air was cleared between them, but was thick with something else. Instead of their usual friction and sparks, today's tension was of an entirely different nature. It held the memory of the previous night and a promise of things to come. It was at the conclusion of this thought that Draco gave a mixed snort of annoyance and laughter- at himself. One kiss from the girl, and here he was, going on like an amateur romance novelist.  
  
He briefly pondered the potatoes in front of him, and then knew what was coming next. Slowly, imperceptibly, he raised his head until he was eye level with the Gryffindor table. After looking around to see if anyone was watching, he slowly slid to the right of his chair, until Ginny Weasley was in plain sight. She was laughing at something, and looked beautiful with her hair streaming around her shoulders and grin flashing. If he strained enough he thought he could hear her.  
  
"God I've become a right idiot over her.." he thought disgustedly to  
himself, as he realized the silly smile that had spread across his  
face.  
  
Draco tore his eyes away from her, and looked back down at his plate. This wasn't enough though, and before he knew it, he'd abandoned his meal to once more stare at her. Suddenly, she looked up and straight at him, startling him with the eye contact. She smiled, and he smirked back. Her grin widened and he couldn't stop himself from returning it, which caused a pretty flush to spread across her face, as she broke eye contact to stare shyly at her plate. She looked back up at him, and Draco couldn't resist; he winked. This time she smiled again, flushed and ran out of the hall. His face took on a cocky smirk- so this was the effect he had on her!  
  
"Wow Drake, if you were any more subtle, I think the whole hall would know."  
  
Draco didn't need to look up to know who that was. Blaise continued on,  
  
"For a Slytherin Drake, that was possibly the most blatant display I  
have witnessed."  
  
At the sound of this, Draco's head did snap up.  
  
"You er..saw all of that?"  
  
"I believe a better question would be, who didn't see that?"  
  
Draco smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Oh far be it from me to protest the union. In fact, the beautiful  
scene I witnessed seemed as if it came straight out of one of Pansy's  
amateur romance novels."  
  
"Blaise!"  
  
"Alright then, not an amateur. A full blown, certified novel from  
the editor of Witch Weekly."  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"Yes I do know. And all I can say is, it's about bloody time! You  
going to dance with her?"  
  
"Well not exactly, we didn't really discuss it much last night. But I  
know she isn't going with Potter."  
  
"Comforting as that is Draco, I can't help wondering something."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Actually..that can wait. If Gin Weasley is the one you fancy, why is  
Granger staring at you as if you are a particularly difficult  
Arithmancy problem?"  
  
Draco looked over at the Gryffindor table, fearfully. Blaise wasn't joking. Hermione Granger was staring at him with a mixture of astonishment and suspicion. She narrowed her eyes, and continued looking at him until he couldn't take it anymore. He too got up and fled the hall, hurriedly escaping her continued gaze.  
  
Harry, who had finally managed to put the past few days behind him, was enjoying his Quidditch talk with Ron. This was, until his best friend trailed off in the middle of the sentence and abruptly turned and looked at Hermione. Harry glanced in the direction of her gaze, and saw Blaise Zabini coolly raising his eyebrows and Pansy Parkinson shoveling in potatoes, an empty chair between them.  
  
"She's been a bit off today" Ron muttered to him through the side of  
his mouth, as he continued to look at her.  
  
"Erm...Hermione?"  
  
"Hmmmmmm?"  
  
"What are you staring at?" Trust Ron to put it bluntly. Her reply  
however, took both of them by shock.  
  
"Draco..." she sighed, slightly dreamily.  
  
There was a moment of silence, and then Ron promptly went into near hysteria, effectively rousing Hermione from her reverie, as she frantically attempted to explain. Harry tried helplessly to intervene between the two, and restore the calm, but was obviously not succeeding. The Gryffindors had put down their food and were avidly watching the display.  
  
"I wonder what it is this time?" Mcgonagall whispered to Dumbledore, who was regarding the trio with his usual expression of amusement.  
  
"Don't question it, just accept it, and you will learn to embrace  
it." She heard Snape mutter absently, as Lupin choked on his water.  
  
"Wow Snape, considering last night's events, I was hardly expecting a  
quotation from an amateur romance novel."  
  
"Excuse me!"  
  
"I'm sorry Severus, please don't take it personally I—"  
  
"I was merely protesting the fact that you said an amateur romance  
novel. Why not professional?"  
  
"You certainly are in a jolly mood Severus."  
  
"Well there's nothing that cheers me up more than a pair of warring  
Gryffindors, excess drama, and a frazzled Potter."  
  
"Draco Malfoy. Draco BLOODY Malfoy. What in the world were you  
staring at him for Hermione?" Ron was almost shrieking now. "I mean I know he's changed and all that, but he's still a Malfoy!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So he's not right for you."  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"HERMIONE!"  
  
"Sorry Ron, I was just teasing. Look I am not the least bit  
interested in Draco. I was simply staring at him for..educational  
purposes."  
  
"Educational?" Ron, Harry and another voice said this together.  
Hermione turned around and came face to face with the boy himself.  
  
"Educational how Hermione?"  
  
"Yes Granger, how? As the very uncomfortable object of your constant  
scrutiny, I have a right to know."  
  
"You stay out of this Malfoy."  
  
"Oh stuff it, Potter."  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and shook her head at the idiocy of manhood in general. The boys could tell she was preparing to give them one of her long lectures. Draco promptly cut in,  
  
"In as few words as possible Granger, we haven't got all day."  
  
Hermione looked duly chastened, and Ron shot Draco a look bordering on admiration.  
  
"I can't fully explain what I mean by educational purposes. Lets just  
say that I witnessed a few interesting events, and wanted to get to  
the bottom of them. I was shocked to find today, that Malfoy was  
an..active party in certain proceedings and that's why I was staring  
at him. I do not have any romantic interest in him whatsoever."  
  
"Thank God for small mercies.." she silently added to herself, as she  
looked meaningfully at Draco. He seemed to have caught on quickly  
enough, and nodded at her as he walked away. Ron thankfully, had  
understood nothing.  
  
"I don't' understand a thing Hermione, but as long as your not  
running after Malfoy in a fit of mad passion, I'm alright."  
  
"I doubt I ever will, Ron."  
"You don't know what a relief that is. Merlin, I was petrified Mione,  
it was just like that time you said Professor Snape was shaggable."  
  
Harry burst into guffaws, Ron shook his head, while Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"So what if he is Ron? I'm not the only girl in the castle who thinks so."  
  
"Yes, we did forget to include Myrtle didn't we?"  
  
Their voices trailed off, leaving a very amused and flattered Severus Snape in their wake. Thanking Merlin that he had hidden in the shadows, he swept off to the staff room.  
  
"Granger knows." Draco and Snape announced this simultaneously to  
Blaise Zabini, Minerva Mcgonagall and Remus Lupin respectively.  
  
"So what if she does, Drake? Did you really think no one would find  
out? The furtive flirting, explosive arguments, and passionate gazes  
exchanged across the hall? Come on.."  
  
"Er..Blaise, have you been writing any novels lately?"  
  
"Shut it!" Minerva exasperatedly told a stressed Lupin and Snape.  
  
"I know Hermione, and I had a suspicion that she would put two and  
two together. After all, Ginny and Malfoy are hardly subtle in their  
affection are they?"  
  
"Yes I know.. did you see that display in the hall today?"  
  
"Who in the name of Merlin didn't? It was a scene straight out of an.."  
  
"Amateur romance, amateur romance, amateur romance! Merlin, man! Is  
that all you can talk about?" Draco groaned at Blaise.  
  
"Well we can talk about the state of the weather if you want.. I hear  
it is very cloudy just north of Scotland--"  
  
Blaise trailed off effectively as he was held at wandpoint. "Advice. Now." Snape hissed at the two teachers before him.  
  
"Relax Severus. Hermione will not do anything. Ginny is her best  
witchfriend, and if she knows that she's interested in Malfoy, she'll  
not interfere. In fact, she might even help it along.."  
  
"Merlin save us all." Draco grumbled, "I certainly hope she doesn't.  
What does she think we are?"  
  
"Incompetent fools?" Snape ranted, as he paced across the faculty lounge.  
  
"Now, now Severus. She doesn't think anything of the sort. Lets just.."  
  
"Leave it alone." Blaise reassured his friend, "You don't want her  
thinking that there's.."  
  
"Something strange going on." Minerva finished.  
  
"Alright.." Severus and Draco sighed; Draco flopped down into a  
chair, while Severus got his things ready for his next class, all of  
them blissfully unaware that identical discussions had taken place a  
few corridors away.  
  
Where was Ginny during all of this? Duly present for her Astronomy class, staring at her littlest finger in shock. The middle freckle had almost completely faded away.  
  
AN: Cliffhangers. You gotta love them. I hope you guys didn't mind the excess repetition of the "amateur' romance thing. I found the concept rather funny when I first thought of it. Oh, and also, FYI- the conversation about Hermione is based on the one from Shrek 2. If you haven't seen it, its where Shrek and Fiona are having the same conversation as her parents, but they both don't know, so the camera keeps flipping to two different scenes, but with one dialogue. Does that make any sense? Anyway, review and tell me what you thought!  
  
Till then- adios cherry 


	12. The Flobberworm ball

FINALLY computer access! Now you guys can rely on daily(somewhat) updates..thank you for all the reviews that poured in for the last chapter! I'm so used to giving those "if you don't update I'll die" reviews, and it's a whole other feeling to get them! So heres chapter the twelfth, just so y'all don't die on me!  
  
"I'm in love."  
  
"I'm in love"  
  
"I'm in love"  
  
"Your in love and no matter how many times you say it or over  
emphasize, its still going to be true."  
  
Dismissing this as an echo from her mind, Ginny kept on staring at herself in the mirror. It was only in the middle of doing her hair that she realized that her mind didn't usually have brown hair and give her an infuriating grin at the most inopportune moments.  
  
"Her...how, who...what?" she sputtered, whirling around to face her  
eavesdropper.  
  
"The freckle, Draco, and that very recent monologue I just  
witnessed." Hermione answered smoothly, to the seemingly  
incomprehensible enquiries. "How did you know about the freckle?"  
  
"I noticed your brothers' hands a lot before we were dating, and every  
year it got lighter, and when we finally started dating, it  
disappeared."  
  
"It disappeared? Wait, you noticed my brothers' hands a lot? His  
hands aren't that special.."  
  
"To me they are."  
  
"Please Hermione, if you claim to be my best friend, don't make me  
ruin my new robes by snorting milk out of my nose, by clutching them  
as I shriek with hysterical laughter, by puking-"  
  
"I get the point!"  
  
"Oh...alright..so..."  
  
"You and Draco? I know you love him."  
  
"But what about..."  
  
"Oh, that! No you're a perfect couple."  
  
"Yes, but.."  
  
"I know, it might take a little mind bending on your brother's part,  
but he knows about the potion."  
  
"Do you plan on making mind-reading a profession?"  
  
"Ok enough wisecracks, I know you only use them to cover your extreme  
nervousness."  
  
"No really I-"  
  
"Get dressed Gin!"  
  
"So..how do I look?"  
  
"Drake, do you want the male to male answer, or the Colin Creevey answer?"  
  
"The...second one."  
  
"Delicious, just delicious. That shade of navy blue brings out the  
hidden azure in the depths of your eyes, and when your hair falls just  
so, it lends your aristocratic countenance a softness to combat the  
ruggedly sexy manliness inherent in those sculpted features."  
  
"Remind me to ask for the male to male next time, I was aiming for  
something monosyllabic."  
  
"Why..is ickle Draco nervous about his date?"  
  
"Rubbish Blaise, I've been on loads of dates."  
  
"Yes, but not with the girl you loooooove"  
  
First you come onto me, and then you go juvenile. I don't know why I  
bother with you."  
  
"Come off it Drake, I'm not coming onto you..I'm merely attempting to  
use my intellectual humor to combat the basilisks of nervousness that  
are currently writhing in your belly."  
  
"Just get dressed! Unless you plan on coming to the ball in a towel.." "Well Pansy would like that wouldn't she?"  
  
"No she wouldn..wait! You and Pansy?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Oh, now you answer in monosyllables, what happened to poetic Blaise?  
No fountain of poetry gushing this time?"  
  
A series of muffled curses was his answer, and Draco laughed for the  
first time that day.  
  
"So she didn't say yes, but she didn't say no either..what do you make of that?"  
  
"Well mate, since she's fancied you for four odd years, I think it's  
a yes. I mean Hermione-"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Ron Weasley turned around and his jaw promptly dropped. His girlfriend, commonly known as Hermione, had transformed into a vision in rose-colored robes and her loose curls down around her face.  
  
"You look very nice Ron, those black robes really suit you."  
  
"I-you-" Hermione rolled her eyes, this was the second time today  
someone had gone incoherent on her. Honestly!  
  
"I think I know what your trying to say, and thank you. I...hope"  
  
She glanced at Harry, who grinned at her and said,  
  
"I could tell you that you look stunning, but I think Ron's reaction says it all."  
  
Ron nodded fervently, and Hermione smiled.  
  
"Where's Ginny?" Harry enquired, seemingly nonchalant.  
  
"Oh she said for us to go ahead, and she'd meet her at the ball.  
She's having some...preparation anxiety." Hermione smiled to herself,  
by anxiety she meant frantically primping and asking the unmoving  
mirror whether Draco would like this hairstyle, or that one. "Did she..erm..mention who she was going with?" Harry asked hopefully.  
  
Hermione, not catching the note in his voice, beamed at him.  
  
"No, she didn't say, but she said that she was really looking forward to it."  
  
Harry smiled, his unspoken fears temporarily vanishing.  
  
Ron held out his hand to Hermione, speaking for the first time.  
  
"Shall we?"  
  
Draco twitched impatiently as he sat at his chair, rejecting every innuendo filled offer to dance he was receiving from boys and girls alike. He watched morosely as Blaise and Pansy twirled around, and laughed at each other's inane jokes. Where the hell was Weasley? She'd said she was coming wasn't she? His thought process was interrupted when he heard a collective gasp go through the dance floor. When he looked to the entrance, he promptly lost his mind.  
  
When he came back to his senses, some rational voice at the back of Draco's head (that sounded vaguely like Mcgonagall) was informing him that Ginny Weasley had finally made it. It stopped there, as he took in her appearance.  
  
Ginny had always been slightly insecure about her looks, despite protests to the contrary from everyone she knew. Tonight though, she knew she was beautiful, and the way he was looking at her, made her feel it too.  
  
The light flickered across her pulled back hair, making it shine red-gold. Her robes fit her closely, and the pale green made her skin look luminous. There was no describing her, she was ethereal, she was surreal, she was..  
  
"Weasley looks quite nice tonight." Snape dead-panned to Lupin, as  
they watched the furore she generated.  
  
"Is that all you can say? Malfoy is a lucky dog, and I hope he's aware of it."  
  
"Oh, I would say by his expression that he most certainly is aware."  
  
"Merlin, she makes me want to be seventeen again."  
  
"I know I didn't hear you exchanging suggestive comments about one of  
our underage students, Remus and Severus. Especially one of my  
students."  
  
"Minerva, and Albus! I must say Albus, you look particularly dashing tonight."  
  
"Why thank you Severus, enjoy your evening."  
  
As Albus walked away, Mconagall rolled her eyes at the two men.  
  
"Ah Severus, what an original choice of robes. Black on black!  
Perhaps next year you'll be really daring and make it black on grey.  
Pathetic attempt at garnering favor with the judge by the way."  
  
"Whatever do you mean?"  
  
"Only that he saw right through it."  
  
"Oh bug-"  
  
"Now Severus, I know you weren't going to swear in front of two of  
your fellow faculty members."  
  
"Remus, that intimidation act only works when Minerva does it. Better  
leave it to the professionals."  
  
"Alright gentlemen, I think we've effectively filled our witty banter  
quota for the night. Now, lets get to business."  
  
"Ah yes, operation romancing the snake"  
  
"I thought it was romancing the lion"  
  
"Snake.."  
  
"Oh for Merlin's sake!"  
  
Ginny had been watching Malfoy for almost ten minutes now. Harry's gasp was gratifying, but she was dying to know what he thought. He hadn't even approached her, but then again, he wasn't dancing with anyone else, was he? But wait...were Malfoys the dancing type? Maybe he was..  
  
"Fancy a dance?"  
  
Maybe he was right behind her and smirking because he knew she was looking for him.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Draco wordlessly held out his hand, and she followed him to the dance floor. As they reached it, he casually turned his head and tossed a comment over his shoulder.  
  
"Oh, and you look breathtaking by the way."  
  
The comment was made airily, it was made dismissively, but it sent thrills through her veins. He noticed, he liked what he saw, and for now; that was all that mattered.  
  
"Change that song, now!" Mcgonagall hissed.  
  
"Easier said than done, Minerva. Just how will we get the band  
members to comply?"  
  
"Leave it to me."  
  
Before they could say anything, Severus stalked across the room to the lead singer, who was taking a quick break. Minerva promptly cast an advanced eavesdropping charm, and she and Lupin pressed their ears to her wand.  
  
"Hello, let me introduce myself, my name is-"  
  
"Severus Snape, I know." The attractive blonde turned to him and  
flashed a smile. He was caught unawares, perhaps she had read some  
article about him in Witch Weekly, she didn't seem the type to peruse  
other journals.  
  
"Erm..how?"  
  
"You are my biggest inspiration Professor! I've been tracking your  
work ever since I read "An advanced perusal of the side effects in  
Hexificus mixtures".  
  
"You...really?"  
  
"Yes, absolutely! And after I read "Polyjuice metamorphosis in a  
nutshell", one of your lighter pieces I presume, I was addicted."  
  
"Well...I, that is to say...I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"  
  
Remus and Minerva exchanged identical looks of astonishment, and then turned back to the wand. Severus was laughing now, making his voice a rich baritone.  
  
"Sandy, would you care to join me for a private dinner after this event?"  
  
"That depends, will there be dessert?"  
  
"If you want some."  
  
"Oh I most certainly do."  
  
"Well in that case, I wonder if you would do me a favor,"  
  
"Anything."  
  
"One of those slow songs please, I believe a certain couple is in  
dire need of them. And after that, if you don't mind terribly, we can  
leave."  
  
"Leave? I'd love to I never could stand these bloody occasions."  
  
Lupin pushed away from the wand, dumbfounded, and then turned to Mcgonagall.  
  
"I'm sorry, maybe I'm dreaming, but I could have sworn that I just  
witnessed Severus Snape, a blonde, and sexual tension."  
  
"You did."  
  
"Right, then you may now refer to me as Lulu."  
  
Mcgonagall's look said enough.  
  
"It was a rash promise I made to myself. If I was ever around to see  
Severus Snape land a probable shag, I would change my name." Lupin  
replied dully to her stare.  
  
"Remus! Must you be so crude?"  
  
"You know it as well as I do, and its Lulu now."  
  
Draco was looking intently at her fingers as he twirled her around.  
  
"So...the Astronomy tower huh?" Ginny said breathlessly as she turned  
back to him, her face flushed from dancing.  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I mean, well we didn't do much talking..." he raised another eyebrow  
now, filled with secret amusement at how flustered she was getting.  
  
"Alright Draco, stop that."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"You know very well what. What I am trying so unsuccessfully to say  
is that, why were you at the astronomy tower that night?"  
  
"If I tell, you, you have to promise on your life, not to tell anyone."  
  
"I erm..promise."  
  
"Alright, I was stargazing."  
  
"Stargazing! That seems so very uncharacteristic of you!"  
  
"Why should it? I mean I know I'm expected to be off on my white  
horse fighting dragons and the like, but actually astronomy is my  
favorite thing." Draco said, as he expertly stepped to her right and  
twirled her, and then stopped for a second, looking at her  
contemplatively.  
  
"Actually...its my second favorite thing.."  
  
"What's your first favorite?"  
  
He didn't reply, and instead smiled enigmatically and looked at her little finger.  
  
"Do all the Weasleys have this line of freckles on their fingers?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"What do they mean?"  
  
"Well this first one is life, and the last one is new life, and the middle.."  
  
"Yes, what about the middle?"  
  
"Its..erm..well I won't tell you until you tell me what your first  
favorite thing is."  
  
"Oh is that so?" Draco asked, doing his best smirk as he moved in  
closer to her. She nodded saucily, glancing at him from under her  
eyelashes.  
  
"Well then, my first favorite thing is...." Ginny gasped as he suddenly  
caught her around the waist, twirled her around and then dipped her,  
gazing suddenly and intently into her eyes.  
  
"Kissing you."  
  
Her face suddenly flushed with color and her knees felt weak. She  
grabbed onto his arms, and he pulled her up, close to him, facing him,  
his mouth very close to hers. A slow song had started in the  
background, and it was the perfect moment, but before either could  
react, there was a tap on Ginny's shoulder.  
  
"Mind if I cut in?" She turned around, about to give a good natured  
brush off to Colin, when she was confronted with a pair of green eyes.  
Harry Potter was standing there, his hand outstretched towards her.  
  
AN: Don't send me death threats, I plan on posting the next chapter as soon as possible. Meanwhile, review and tell me what you thought. 


	13. Dance and Romance

AN: HERE IT finally is..haha, the last chapter, the end to this saga. Actually, I think I might post an epilogue, depending on the time I have and the feedback I get. Let me just take this time to tell you how much these reviews mean to me..each and every one of them, even the ones where you threaten to kill me/yourself/harry(poor boy) if I don't update..I still have those saved. I'm going to boarding school starting in a few weeks, and I don't know if I'll have enough time to post new fics or not, but I really really want to. Your reviews and feedback have been a constant through good and bad times..when people have lashed out, written mean things on my live journal, and generally made life hell, I've derived comfort from you- readers of my fic, who don't know me at all, but like my writing enough to keep track of it..and sometimes that means more than any fake friendships. I think you can tell I'm a little depressed, and that I'm really lame for unloading on YOU guys right now, but for those of you who actually bother to read the authors note..thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking around this long.

* * *

Before Draco could retort, Harry, who had been observing it all with a look of slight consternation cut in.

"Now Malfoy, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a dance with my date."

It was Draco's turn to become icy now.

"Your _date_?"

Ginny was too embroiled in her anger to see what the two boys were talking about; her blood was pounding in her ears. Weasley! In the end, was that all she meant to Draco, a last name, nothing more? He had been doing this to spite Harry all along, and now that he'd succeeded, his true emotions were coming out. How could she have given her heart up to him so easily?

"Yes Malfoy, my date. We decided it finally last night."

Last night! Draco's stomach clenched, and his fists soon followed. Right after their kiss? So she had no feeling for him at all then, what was it, a fling for her? "Tame the school's hottest bad boy" something like that? Judging by her callous disregard for any feelings on his part, it evidently was.

He pointedly looked _down _at Harry,

"Well in that case Potter, your welcome to her." He stalked off, the anger coursing through his veins flooding his face with its intensity. Students unconsciously moved out of his way at seeing his face, and before Blaise could ask, he was out on the grounds, summoning his broomstick.

Ginny was only conscious of Harry pulling her to him and staring to dance, her face had lost all its previous animation, and she didn't care about anything.

"Its no problem Ginny, I got rid of him."

Ginny raised her face to his, and he was shocked to see it,

"What did you say?" she asked, in a monotone.

"Oh nothing," Harry said cheerily as he tried to make her smile by spinning her around,

"I just told him to get away from my date to the dance."

This made Ginny stop stock still on the floor, regardless of the various couples that were bumping into her, and looking at the two of them confusedly.

"Your date?"

Harry looked at her in concern,

"Yes, I mean, well, when you didn't say no..I just..assumed.."

She reflected that if her heart hadn't already been broken, it would have done so again at the look on Harry's face.

"Harry," her voice was gentle, this was, after all, the boy she had adored for the better part of her school years. Ginny didn't know- she couldn't tell him the truth.

But he knew, somewhere in the back of his mind he'd always known, and had just not wanted to believe it. He should have felt some bitterness, but all he could express was wry amusement. He stilled her hands with his, and looked into her face. Damn her for her large heart, and those brandy brown eyes that were transparent to her emotions. He could see pity in those eyes, and of all things this wasn't what he wanted from her.

"Ginny, there's no need. I... know already."

"You, you do?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry for what I just did," he gave her a characteristically sheepish, boyish grin at this point, only sullied by the pain in his eyes. He continued,

"Obviously I was jealous. You've never looked at me..the way you looked at him..and.."

"I would have," Ginny said softly, imperceptibly, looking up at him in shock when she realized what she had just admitted. His response was a half twist of his mouth,

"I know, you could say perhaps, that my timing was just completely off." He looked at her narrowly, "In more ways than one." At this his face crumpled, and the small part of her heart that cherished his friendship burnt in her.

Ginny wordlessly took him in her arms and held him close. If only..she thought, fiercely blinking back tears, and then she let him go. His eyes were closed, and he held her at arms' length.

"Go Gin, go before I open my eyes, this is something you need to do."

Instinctively she knew what he was saying and backed out of his embrace, her fingertips brushing his in brief farewell, then she leaned toward him.

"I may love him Harry, but he is still an utter bastard." With this she turned around and walked out of the hall as The Boy who lived shook his head and went to another corner of the room.

* * *

"Should we have intervened?" Lupin asked, the first to break the silence that had fallen among the three teachers.

"I think it was best that we didn't, it reached its natural conclusion." Snape replied, in a surprisingly gentle voice. He had come back to collect his drink, but had gotten so arrested in the developments between Draco, Ginny and Harry that he had completely neglected poor Sandy, who flounced off in a huff. This led Mcgonagall to privately reflect that she need not refer to Remus as "Lulu" anymore, and thus put a stop to any convulsions of laughter she had left.

Right now however, her thoughts were in a far less cheerful direction. She wiped her eyes with her handkerchief and looked around shiftily to see if anyone had observed.

"No one saw, Minerva." That was Severus, with the faintest trace of an eye roll in his voice.

"I know how you feel Minerva, tonight has been an important night. The really difficult sides of Draco and Ginny finally reared themselves, and I don't think Harry was remiss when he made that crack about bad timing."

"It's not just that, Remus, think of all the work we put in to ensure this relationship was working. What of that?"

"Well Snape, the point was defeated anyhow when they didn't come to the ball together. But, if its any consolation, Flitwick's "progeny" just had an equally large tiff earlier on in the evening. Do you recollect a punch sodden figure passing us by?"

"That was him?"

"Yes, I believe his date threw her drink in his face when she realized he was busy eyeing up the Patil twins."

Severus gave a dry chuckle.

"What you're not admitting boys," Minerva piped up in a choked voice, ignoring the starts Remus and Severus gave at being referred to as such,

"What you're not admitting is that we knew going to the ball together was a lost cause a long time ago. For sometime now, I think the interest in this relationship has been personal."

She received no reply to that, just a solemn nodding of heads.

"Should we do anything to set things right between them?"

"What can be done Remus? She has the famed Weasley temper, and at its peak, it is perhaps not best to tell her that her professors have been meddling in her love life."

"Perhaps Minerva, but wait! Severus, where are you going?"

"To risk the Malfoy temper." Was the reply the two teachers received over his shoulder as Snape swept out of the ballroom and to the Quidditch pitch.

* * *

Draco Malfoy was in the middle of a particularly complicated loop when he heard his professor's voice.

"Tonight of all the nights, one of the brightest students in my house proved me wrong and behaved like a complete dunderhead."

"Nice to see you too professor," Draco muttered, as he brought his broom down to the ground.

"I don't think I'll ever understand what possessed you. One would assume that after all the obstacles you have conquered, your bravery during the war, the way you stood up to your father-"At this, Draco flinched and Snape paused, briefly.

" Haven't you been through enough already? Why aren't you allowing the good things in your life to manifest Draco?"

"Professor, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That approach may work with an impatient Gryffindor, Draco Malfoy, but it will not work with me. I want to know just why you persist in being so oblivious."

"It's complicated."

"Ah, another way of saying, "my bones are made of Hufflepuff marrow."

Ordinarily, Draco would have flared up at this remark and let loose a few choice ones of his own in response. However, tonight he was too disheartened to do anything but raise his eyebrows. Severus, realizing the delicacy of the situation, bent down until they were both sitting on the grass and he was eye level with his student.

"Draco listen to me, I know life has not been easy for you.."

"You don't understand the _meaning_ of difficult Professor! My life has been filled with betrayals, and tonight was just one more example of that!"

Snape was silent for a minute.

"Remember who you are talking to Mr.Malfoy, knowing my history as well as you do, is it really possible that you think _my_ life has been easy? That I haven't faced betrayals of my own?"

Draco didn't answer, but his expression was mutinous.

"You think, that between the potion and the way your father treated you, and the favors that Albus is always granting Potter, that you have been treated unfairly. You resent Potter as the cause for the working of the Potion, you are still jealous of the adulation he receives, and the smallest most insecure part of you has always been worried that someday Ginny would realize his regard for her. Then what? She would discard you and immediately pursue him. Tonight has effectively proved that, hasn't it Draco? Correct me, but isn't that what is going through your mind right now?"

He didn't speak, and Snape, his voice now showing frustration, continued.

"What you don't see is that you are as widely admired as Harry Potter is, you effectively turned the tide of the war! You came clean about the potion, something that few would have the courage to face. Draco Malfoy, was willing turn over a new leaf, and that was evident to all. Have you not wondered, Draco, just why Albus never through you out of the school despite all your potion induced antics?"

Draco somehow brought himself to nod dully,

"It was because he believed in second chances, and most importantly, he believed, and continues to believe; in you. Now I know you don't get along with Potter, and I understand perfectly why, but considering all you've been through, you should be able to reap the rewards."

"There are no rewards Professor." He responded, a little surprised at how hollow his voice sounded.

"Would you not consider the love of an intelligent woman a reward? A girl, perhaps the only one, who understands you and brings out the most positive sides of you. You may not have admitted it to yourself yet, so forgive me for making this controversial statement. But in my opinion, Miss.Weasley, due to her influence on you, could effectively be considered your antidote to the Meta potion."

He looked up at his professor, almost childish in the open mouthed expression on his face. Whether he felt shock at knowing this was true, or bitterness that it was, he knew not. Snape, who felt that he had been lecturing Draco long enough, now looked expectant. So he responded,

"She doesn't love me, Professor, she loves Potter."

Snape stifled the urge to slap his forehead, and replied as enigmatically as possible.

"Sometimes, Draco, things aren't always what they seem..." And then, abandoning his attempt at mystery, Snape snapped (AN: pardon the pun, I couldn't help it;)

"Oh bugger this! Albus Dumbledore can do the entire "omniscient mentor" act, but I lack the white hair and the patience. Listen to me Draco Malfoy, Miss. Weasley has not chased Potter in a very long time. You've noticed this; I've noticed it, hell, all of Hogwarts has wondered about it. Are you that insecure, that unsure of her felings, that you could walk away because of a mere taunt on his part? Is that all you've learnt?"

"But they went to the dance together, didn't they? Why would she tell me that she wasn't going with him, when she was?"

"I'm not your Agony Aunt, Mr.Malfoy, I suggest that you seek out Miss.Weasley and place this enquiry before her yourself."

Draco fell back to the ground, and regarded his Professor's looming form. He closed his eyes, and just thought with his heart. Decisively, he got up and and began walking off the field, not witnessing his teacher's broad smile (which was perhaps all for the better as it would have ruined Snape's daunting image). Without turning, he put a Sonorous charm on his voice and asked,

"By the way, Professor, how exactly do you know all this?"

Snape had known this moment would arrive soon, and wondered how to put the answer as painlessly as possible. He opted for postponing it.

"Sort out your life now Malfoy, I'll tell you when things are clearer."

Draco shook his head and continued to walk off the field.

"Mr.Malfoy, where exactly are you going?"

"To find Ginny of course."

Snape knew that what surfaced in response to this was a slightly sadistic urge in him, but he gave into it anyway.

"That, Mr.Malfoy, will be impossible. It is currently 2 in the morning, the ball will soon come to an end, and if I am not mistaken, Miss.Weasley is already in her dorm. A place (he looked at Draco evenly at this point,) where boys are not permitted."

Draco shook his head again, and walked off toward his own dorms.

"Ah, my work is done." Snape rubbed his hands together, and walked back toward the school, wondering whether it was too late to invite Remus and Minerva out for a celebratory drink in Hogsmeade.

* * *

The next morning, Severus Snape woke to the sound of a persistent tapping against the window. He greeted the bleak sunlight with a few choice swearwords, tottered out of bed and wrested a piece of parchment away from the important looking owl. When he read its contents however, the expression that crossed his face looked remarkably like a smile. He tossed the parchment behind him, shooed the indignant owl away, and fell right back into bed, snoring.

The owl note had informed each head of house, that due to the heavy rain (it was pouring outside), the Flobberworm Fest had been cancelled. Had not the majority of the Hogwarts population been either hung over, or rather exhausted, there would have been a collective cheer. So, everyone slumbered, as Dumbledore had declared the day a holiday. But only two people did not.

Ginny had woken up, and was staring at the rain with an air of resignation. She stretched, pulled on a pair of socks, a robe, and made her way out of the Common room. The Fat Lady didn't even question, because like her late night Prefect Baths, this was something that was just quintessentially Ginny Weasley. It was put up with, unquestioned, and effectively turned a blind eye on. She made her way down to the lake, where the Great Squid was lazily stirring, and tilted her face up.

The pale light of dawn had barely filtered through the clouds, and ordinarily she would be snoring at this point. But it was raining, and this explained her wakefulness...it always did. She had been born during a rainstorm, and her mother had often said in latter bouts of exasperation or fondness, that she should have taken the weather as an indication for the child that was born that night.

She was right; of course, as mothers are apt to be. Ginny was almost exactly like a rainstorm. Her emotions came and took over her like rolls of thunder, and she definitely possessed flashes of temper and fury, just like lightening.

And yet- as those who truly knew her would attest, there was something oddly soothing about the entire combination. Something like the cool sensation of rain on one's face, despite the mental knowledge that the storm is wreaking havoc all around. It was, she reflected, as the moisture smoothed across her face, strange, that one could experience such calm in the middle of such chaos.

As the raindrops caressed her face and she naturally opened her mouth to taste them, the events of last night flew through her head.Soon the water on her face had mingled with her tears, and she could taste their saltiness. This was the first time she had let herself cry since the war. She remembered surveying the vast battlefield and the damage, with an acute sense of weariness, and promising herself never to waste tears on anything trivial again.

Yet, as luck would have it, here were the tears again. She simply gave into them, and let herself let out her grief through tears, for the first time. The previous night she had gone to bed, dry eyed. But that night had been about fury, about regret, and about that horrible burn in her heart she got when she had a particularly horrible fight with Mum, or in this case, with the boy she hopelessly, rebelliously... loved.

She cried now, for placing her heart and faith in the wrong boy, for the irony that she received the attentions of the right one too late, and for the simple angst filled existence that she was still forced to lead, despite the end of the war.

* * *

He watched his window, and the rain dripping down its side. The room was dark, and the bleak light that filtered in looked almost psychadelic because of the water in front of it. He could never sleep through rain, and never had. The noise made him positively distracted, and he felt a yearning, longing to _go_ somewhere,do _something..._now, more than ever. As he made his way out, a flash of red caught his eye, and his heart stopped.

Ginny had finished crying. The feeling had dullened, for now, and she knew that she was strong, that she would be able to put this behind her. Yet, she couldn't help feeling that there was something more to this, that it was unfinished. Till now, the most difficult incidents in her life were always resolved with some sort of closure. Looking up at the sky, she prayed for the same situation here.

"Do great minds really think alike then?"

Her heart rate sped up by several notches, and she continued looking up, wondering if something, somewhere had heard. He didn't wait for her reply,

"Ginny, do you remember that night when I told you that I was terminally insecure?" Her back was still to him, but he could sense her listening. It was evident in the curves of her shoulders, the tilt of her head, and just the general awareness he had of her.

"I never told you the main reason, and never thought I would. Yet, here I am."

"Here you are." She replied monotonously, and turned toward him. His heart dropped slightly when he heard her emotionless tone, but he refused to back down, and continued.

" You see, I've always been jealous of Potter, and I told you that I'd stopped, since I found out about the Potion. That was a lie, to myself as well as to you; its always been. I saw his attentions toward you Gin, and I was jealous of the fact that despite not having your heart, he at least had your friendship- something _I_ couldn't boast of."

"You had more." her stance was tight, but the shake in her voice betrayed her.

"I _know _that now, Ginny, but when Potter told me you made that date the very night we kissed, something inside me came apart. The instinct to stay and fight for you was taken away, because I thought you didn't care."

"Just like me, when you called me Weasley. And this was something you actually _did, _whereas the whole Harry situation was untrue."

Draco paused now. He didn't exactly know how to explain this, but he knew he had to, because he had hurt her deeply.

"Ginny, this probably sounds like a rather pathetic excuse to you, but it is the only one I can offer. Around Potter, my reflexes become their most hostile. You can call it an after effect of the potion if you want, I don't know. For some reason, oh god I can't believe I'm admitting this, I find myself transforming into the old Draco _Ferret _Malfoy, and not the current original, do you understand?"

She stood stock still at hearing him confess something this major, and at the sound of his most notorious nickname coming from his own lips. She replied, in an almost trance.

"You are going to be seeing Harry several times in the future, are you going to be calling me Weasley then too?"

She turned back around, and crossed her arms.

He stepped over to her, and placed his hands on her soaked shoulders, turning her around to him.

"Are you saying that we have a future?"

Ginny frowned in alarm.

"I didn't mean-, look that remark was thought of ...hypothetically"

"Well _hypothetically _I would avoid Potter as much as possible, and if I had to come into contact with him, I would not call you that, no."

"And just why not? How can I trust you Draco?"

"You can trust me because if you were in my future, I would be so lost in you that I'd make Professor Trelawney appear to be keen and alert. No Potter could take away the awareness of having you by my side. He'd never get me down. " He said this in a low voice, an intense one, with a slight note of , looking up seriously at her face.

She'd read it everywhere, but never actually thought that she would be a direct recipient of it... this feeling that made her knees buckle, and her head ache with lightness. Her mouth twitched involuntarily, but she stopped her smile before he could see it, not knowing that he already had.

"You haven't answered the question, Draco. How do I know that this isn't all about some game of one upmanship between you and Harry?"

The way she said his name, despite her effort to diffuse the situation, made his eyes alight with fervent hope. She didn't' say anything, but her own eyes gave her away as well, and he slowly advanced on her.

"I said I'd never call you Weasley, Ginny, because I love your name too much."

He paused now, and looked at her.

"I love _you_ too much."

It was her turn for her heart to stop. She didn't notice the rain now, didn't notice how cold and wet her body felt, because of the look in his eyes, because of the knowledge and truth in what he was saying, and because of that irresistible way his hair fell wetly on his forehead.

Before having time to question her own behavior, she stepped forward, and kissed him. Hard. She pulled away before he had time to reciprocate, but he wrapped his arms around her, trapping her to him.

"Do you, erm... remember when you were... asking me about those freckles on my finger?" She asked, looking anywhere but at him, which was a little difficult to do in the confines of his arms.

He didn't answer, and somehow without doing anything, he forced her gaze up to his. The intensity of the look in his eyes made her expel a breath she had been holding, and slowly raise her littlest finger to him.

"This freckle, faded rather recently..."

"Life," She said, as she tapped the top one, all the while gazing into his eyes.

"New life," he responded, his voice uncharacteristically deep as he slowly stroked the bottom one.

They both placed their hands on the smooth spot in the middle of her finger. He looked at her, knowing what was coming next, but wanting to hear it from her mouth.

"Love." She said, so softly, but imbued with a wealth of meaning.

At that, he dropped her hand, pulled her to him, and pressed his mouth to hers. She responded soon enough, her arms twining around his neck, and the rain molding their bodies close to each other.

"I love you, I love you, I love you..." he breathed fervently, feeling like he could never say it enough, as he kissed her all over her face, on her neck, on the various freckles that were scattered there.

She couldn't respond vocally, but her skin, her eyes, they all replied back to him. Then, they both noticed at the same time that their teeth were chattering.

She giggled, and he rolled his eyes, the concentrated intimacy of the moment temporarily mellowed- to something lighter- younger. Wrapping his arm around her, he led her inside to the place where he had first noticed her, first fought with her, and first loved her. She leaned her head on his shoulder, unconsciously echoing his thoughts; both blissfully oblivious to the delighted grins on three teachers faces as they stared down at them from a high tower.

* * *

"Well," sighed Professor Mcgonagall, as she put down her pair of Omniculars, "I would say that our work here is done."

"You can't, because I already used that line last night." Snape responded, as he cleaned the lenses on his own pair.

"Either way, I'm sure the two of you are glad I woke you. This was something we all had to see, don't you agree?" Lupin chimed in, his early morning cheeriness not sitting well at all with the other two. They didn't respond, but gave vague nods, which was their manner of a grudging affirmation.

"I suppose, in the long run, we have Albus to thank. He probably knew all this was to occur."

"Omniscient old goat."

"I don't see why Albus should take all the credit, when we did most of the manual labor."

"Ah yes, Lupin, I believe you are right. And since I performed most of this _manual labor_, as you put it, the credit is mine."

"BOLLOCKS Severus! I was the one who came up with the entire scheme of having the two of them paired up in class."

"In all fairness Minerva, I was the one who suggested the map. It was the map that started everything- what with the late night baths and all."

"Hogwash, Lupin, Hogwash. Are you forgetting that I was the one who actually took the proverbial bull by the horns? I was, after all, the one who talked to Malfoy!"

"Ah yes, spiffing job you did there, blurting out everything like a cheap gossip column. We could have had much more drama and understanding in today's little dialogue had it not been for your "talk".

"Yes, and I suppose your transfiguration "rose" was much better?"

"Better than your detention! They only talked, at least mine consisted of action!"

"Snape, lets not forget that I was the one who _sent_ her late to your class so you could give her detention. I willfully betrayed a trusted student, so that _should _count for something!"

"In your case Lupin, nothing at all."

The muffled sounds of arguing did not phase Albus Dumbledore, who merely stood outside and merely smiled at the door for a second.He then tapped his glasses in that enigmatic manner of his, and made his way to his office for more lemon drops.

AN: On a FAR more cheerful note from the first, do tell me your feedback and as usual..REVIEW! Take me to that 400 number, baby!


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